Healing Wounds and Learning Secrets
by animefan021513
Summary: What happens when Jack accidentally flies into the Warren...WOUNDED? How will Bunny take care of him? What will the two figure out about each other? What kind of magical secrets is Bunny hiding? What will happen now that Jack doesn't have his staff? How will things change between Bunny and Jack? Read and Find out!
1. Chapter 1

It's been seven months since the battle with Pitch, and aside from the occasional blizzard here and there despite it being late Autumn, we haven't seen Jack. However, even when blizzards would happen or snow days for the little tykes that could only be the work of Jack Frost, we wouldn't quite see him then either. As I was painting another googie for next year's Easter, I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps the sprite was ignorin' us. Then, I feel a chill up my spine, tellin' me that someone's entered the Warren uninvited. I let out a sigh as the googie started wigglin' it's legs impatiently. "Sorry little guy, gonna have to get back to ya later." I set my paints down as well as the googie, grabbed my boomerangs and made my way out of my home.

Once I was outside and into the Warren, I quickly caught the scent of blood. Someone had come into my Warren bleedin', but not just a cut. No, this was a lot of blood. I holstered my boomerangs and immediately followed the scent of blood. Whoever was bleedin' was at the Australia tunnel. Worried it was a little ankle-biter that accidentally made their way in, I ran faster and harder towards the entrance.

However, once I got to where the tunnels were at least in view, I quickly noticed it wasn't an ankle-biter. As I got closer I could smell willow wood, blood, singed clothing, burnt skin, and ice. The last one got my attention and I rushed closer to the entrance. When I arrived, I found a heap of brown, blue, and white covered in blood, and off to the side of the heap there was a staff, and it was broken. "That's..." My eyes narrowed at the staff, but then quickly widened in realization at the heap on the ground. The smell of ice had made me think perhaps it was Jack, but I thought perhaps from a snowstorm or somethin' like that. I hadn't thought to think that it could've been him. I looked at Jack who was very much covered in blood and there were burns on his neck and at his feet, and I didn't really know anywhere else. I crouched down to turn him over, but when I turned him over he didn't make a sound which was beginnin' to worry me a bit more than the blood. Once I got him on his back, I quickly noticed that the front of his hoodie was torn badly, and along with the tear there were angry scratch and burn marks that went pretty deep into him.

I didn't have time to think, I tapped my foot once, and had a tunnel take Jack's staff to my personal home while I picked up Jack in my arms. When I lifted him up I felt a pang in my chest at how light he was, and at how he didn't react at all to being lifted up. "Hold on, Frostbite..." I whispered as I clutched him tighter to my chest, and tapped my foot twice, makin' a tunnel big enough for us to take us to my personal home.

When we arrived I saw that the broken staff was leanin' up against the unlit fireplace. "As good a place as any I suppose...as long as I remember to move it when I light it." I mumbled to myself as I took Jack to one of the guest rooms that I had set up a very long time ago after first meetin' North. The room was very large, and filled with natural green grass. Not only that, but there were flowers growin' in the room. I found it a bit appropriate since they were plants that could either survive winter, or were winter flowers in general like, Queen Anne's Lace, some white roses, a few patches of Pansies here and there, and white Cyclamen. "Well...at least even if you're in here, the flowers won't get hurt none." I walked over to the bed I had made a long time ago using some magic I had at my disposal. The bed was a risen bed of grass that was so large it would've fit North comfortably, yet it made Jack look so small when I set him down on the soft and fresh green grass. I had also made sure to make the grass layered many times over to make it feel like a real bed, and there was a slightly raised area at the head of the bed to use as a pillow.

I wanted to cover him up with a quilt, but I had to clean his wounds first, and upon further inspection, his hoodie wasn't the only thing nearly torn to shreds. His brown pants were too. "Sorry to do this to ya, Frostbite, but I'm gonna have to remove your clothing so I can try to heal ya." I winced at the lack of reaction and for a split second I was beginnin' to think the worst. So, I held my paw against his wrist and I almost immediately felt my heart stop as well as my breathin' when I didn't feel even the faintest of pulses. "N-No...Ya can't be...ya just can't..." I whispered out with my breath shakin'. I looked at his chest and I noticed there was barely a rise and fall, but he didn't have a pulse so I thought that I might be seein' things. So, I rushed out of the room, went to my kitchen, grabbed a knife, rushed back to his room, and held the blade of the knife against his nose and mouth to see if it would fog up any. When it fogged just slightly I could only crouch as the chill of relief washed over me like a damn waterfall, but I soon pushed it away, because Jack still needed to be healed and nothin' would get better if I was just beside myself with relief.

I walked over to one of the dressers and pulled out a sewin' kit, and took out the scissors that were in it, and thankfully these were mine so they fit comfortably around my fingers as I cut the cloth around Jack's legs and his hoodie. Once I removed the clothing I tapped my foot once focusin' on wantin' the healin' supplies to come out of it, and they did. I grabbed the towel and soaked it in the sink that was in the bathroom, which was connected to the room, and I while I was there I filled up the large bowl that came with the supplies. When I got back to Jack, I started carefully cleanin' off the blood, tryin' to keep the burns from becomin' agitated. To my surprise, there had been more blood than I thought. It took me nearly fifteen minutes to get all of the blood on his torso and another twenty to get the blood off of his legs. I looked him over and noticed that the blood in the gashes in his chest, stomach, sides, legs, and feet had frozen blood in them. "I guess that's one way to keep it from flowin' out...but I'll stitch ya up anyway. Before I moved to get the needle and thread, I turned him over to see if there was anything else that I needed to clean, but what I was met with shocked me. His back was littered with scars of different shapes and sizes, and there was even a flurry of scars on the back of his neck, but these weren't healed by normal means like sewing or even typical magical means. These were healed by Manny. In the scars were nearly microscopic crescent moon shapes, but above the scars there were also intricate wintery designs along his back and his shoulders. It was so pale that you would have to be lookin' closely to realize they were even there, and I was pretty close. The designs consisted of many different swirls that had frost patterns coming out of them in very thin strands and some of the frost patterns were connected by an array of snowflakes. "He has markings...like me and North...and...Manny healed him...but from what!? What could Jack have been through to get Manny of all people to heal him!?"

I shook my head, tryin' to push those thoughts away as I laid him back on his back, and I took out the needle and thread from the healin' supplies and started sewin' the gashes together. "What did this to ya, Jack?" I muttered under my breath after about ten minutes of sewin', and I was no where near done with his wounds. For now, I was just grateful that whatever magic he had was focusin' on his wounds too, keepin' the blood from spillin' out.

It had taken nearly an hour to sew up the gashes on his torso, and when I had started sewin' up the ones on his leg, it had taken almost another full hour. Once I was done sewin' up everythin' I took out a jar of salve that I made from the fresh herbs in the Warren, I started puttin' it on his burns which weren't as bad as the gashes, but were still around the second degree range, and for a winter spirit...that was like bein' cooked alive. After I was done with that, I looked him over to see if he needed anythin' else, and thankfully he didn't. So, I took out a large bandage roll and started wrappin' his torso up as well as his legs.

After about ten minutes of that and carefully movin' his body to get the bandages around, I tapped my foot once, and sent the healin' supplies back where they came from. Then, I walked over to the closet and pulled out a large quilt to cover him up with. Once I put it on him, I wondered if perhaps it was a good idea to put a blanket on a winter spirit. "I guess I'll sit here for a while to see if it's a good or bad idea. However...he may want his staff when he wakes up..." I winced at the thought of how Jack's face would look when he realized it was snapped in two, but I still went to go get it. Once I brought it back, I looked at Jack for any signs of change in the last five minutes, but nothin' happened. So, at least for now, the blanket could stay.

I grabbed the chair from the opposite side of the room and brought it to the side of the bed, but once I set it there I couldn't get the intricate markings on his back out of my head, and I knew for a fact that I wouldn't find those in my books, just like I couldn't find my own or North's. It was gonna have to be somethin' I ask him when he wakes up. I sat down with a heavy sigh as I looked at Jack layin' still underneath the quilt. "When will that be?" I muttered under my breath. _'I should probably tell the others that he's in bad shape.' _I thought to myself. _'I'll tell them in three hours. I just need to make sure the quilt is okay there, and that should be plenty of time to determine if I need to do anything else for him immediately.'_


	2. Chapter 2

After about five hours rather than three, I noticed that Jack's breathin' had evened out and increased some, and rather than the blanket becomin' a problem, he actually wrapped up further in it with a wince of pain, but he seemed to take comfort in the blanket. I had finally arrived at the North Pole, and noticed that the elves and Yeti were scramblin' everywhere. _'Oh, right...Christmas is soon...UGH!' _Ignorin' the yeti and elves for now, I rushed to the one place I knew North would be at this point in time. His office. I knocked on the door, and rather than a 'Come in' I heard, "This better be good!" As the door practically flew open with an angry North on the other side. He looked down at me and almost like a light switch his demeanor changed. "Oh, Bunny! Good to see you! Come in, come in!" I walked in behind him and closed the door behind me. "So, what brings you here?"

"First...how about you tell me what that was about, mate? I haven't seen or heard you that mad in quite some time."

"Ah...Elves thought they would try and help yeti with toys and destroyed a whole third of the toys. Now I am back one third on holiday...which is next month! The yeti are rushing to fix things while elves try to keep away from me and yeti. So, what brings you here?"

"Ah well...it's about Jack..."

"Yes...haven't seen him much. He must be busy."

"Well...you see...that's the thing..." My ears drooped on the back of my head as I looked at my paws that were messin' with the fur on my sides.

"You say he is doing otherwise?" North questioned with a curious brow.

"Yeah, that's what I'm sayin'...because he's in my Warren."

"If you do not want him there ask him to leave." My jaw dropped and my heart sank a bit at his words.

"North...don't ya think that's a bit harsh?" I asked with a slight bitterness to my voice.

"You've been harsher to young Guardian...and I am sorry...you are right...because of elves I have lost good temperament. That is no way to speak of Jack. So...what is issue with him being in Warren?"

"Wait! What do you mean I've been harsher!?" I snapped.

"You really fail to remember?" North quirked an eyebrow at me, and I couldn't find it in me to realize what he was talkin' about. "You were only spirit to talk to Jack in his spiritual life...and we don't know how long he's lived as a spirit, but he told me you were only one to speak with him before becoming Guardian...and you pushed him away every time you two met. I think...that is worse than politely asking him to leave, yes?"

My heart dropped even further and wave of guilt crashed over me, making me feel nauseous. "I...I couldn't have...no...I couldn't have been the only one to...to just simply talk to him. I...I met him back in '68 and that was...forty-four years ago..." I looked up at North, silently begging for him to say otherwise but he let out a sympathetic sigh.

"You are, Bunny. I had asked other spirits about what they knew of Jack Frost so that we may know him better, and they all backed up his story...they never bothered with him. Never wanted to. They hated him. You could not possibly imagine the words they said about him, Bunny..." I watched as a look of pained anger crossed his face, but quickly vanished as he let out another sigh. "...but yes...they also said that you were only one known to talk to Jack..."

"...That...can't be..."

"Bunny...focus...you came here for reason and reason is Jack...what's wrong with him being in Warren?"

"R-Right...I...well...he came to the Warren...beaten up and bloody. He had nasty gashes and scars all over his body..."

"What!? How long ago was this!?" North boomed with a protectiveness in his voice that could only be compared to that of a concerned father.

"It was about...ten hours ago. It took me longer to get here than I thought it would..."

"TEN HOURS AGO!?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"You're telling me this now?"

"North! Calm down!" I begged as I held up my paws. "He's alright now, for the most part..." North breathed in and out to try and calm himself, but he still wasn't quite there yet. "...North...you and I have known each other a very long time, yeah?"

North looked at me with calmer eyes and nodded his head. "Yeah...I still remember chocolate you gave me when we met."

A chuckle escaped my lips as a fond sort of joy rose in my chest. "Ya still remember..." I shook my head quickly, tryin' to focus on Jack. As much as I wanted to relive the old days, I had to focus on Jack. "...anyway...we've known each other a long time...You know you're welcome in the Warren..."

"Where did you put him?"

"I put him in your old room. Now, I've changed a few things, but it's still where your old room was."

"I assume there is reason you're telling me this."

"Yeah...well...his staff was snapped in two...and he only just started breathin' a bit better a couple hours ago..."

"What of heart beat?"

"Well, that's the thing...He doesn't even have a pulse, mate."

"What?"

"Yeah, ya heard me. He doesn't have a pulse...and he has markings..."

"Like yours? Like my Naughty and Nice?"

"Yeah, like those. They're on his back, and I know I don't have anythin' about such things in my books...so I was wonderin' if you could come take a look, or bring whatever books about markings you have, because I know you have them."

"I will collect what I have and bring them to Warren..."

"No, I wasn't expectin' that, mate...besides...you have Christmas preparations..."

"Christmas is next month...Jack is hurting now. I will help while I can, but if I am needed I will be back here. I can carry many snow globes at a time. You know this."

"Right...okay then...see ya in the Warren."

I was about to open a tunnel when suddenly I felt North's hand on my shoulder. "Bunny, take snow globe. You may not like it, but it's fast, and right now that's what you need."

I took the snow globe from him and nodded my head. "Thank's, mate." I shook it and told it to take me to the Warren before tossin' it against a wall. I walked through the portal, and was relieved when it actually took me to my personal home. In it, actually, but when I arrived I wasn't met with the calm air of my Warren. No, I was met with a fierce and angry wind practically tearin' through my home. However, what was more surprisin' than that, was the fact that even though it was rushin' throughout the place, nothin' was gettin' damaged and things that were about to fall were bein' lifted back up to their places by the wind. It was like it was it's own entity or somethin' "What are ya doin?" I asked it, not expectin' a bloody answer, but the wind seemed to go straight through my ears as it wrapped itself around me and I heard a woman's voice, urgent and carin'.

_**"I'm looking for his staff! He needs his staff! I can't find his staff! I am his friend! We fly together! I need to find his staff! It needs to be with him! Help me find his staff!"**_

"I...wasn't expectin' an actual answer." I said dumbly as I walked over to the fireplace and picked up the two broken pieces. "Here's his staff..." The wind rushed at me again, but this time it was distraught.

_**"No...not his staff! This has happened before! It needs to be put back together! He needs his staff! It needs to be with him! How long has it been like this?"**_

"About ten hours, but that's when he arrived in the Warren..."

_**"Ten...no...it needs to be mended! It needs to be fixed! He can't be without it! You need to fix it! He can't fix it this time!"**_

"Wait hold on...what do ya mean he can't fix it this time and why can't he be without it?"

_**"Pitch Black snapped it in two back in Antarctica! When he snapped it in two, he destroyed everything he was and is and will be. Only when it's mended can he gain all that back. When he mended it he fixed all of that and returned it to normal! You need to mend it!"**_

"What do ya mean?" Almost immediately at my words, the wind continued to surround me, but it was almost in a mournful manner.

_**"He is an immortal child, E. Aster Bunnymund! He still knows Wonder, Hope, Dreams, and he only recently got his Memories! He represents Joy...and without his staff...he doesn't have any of it. None of those feelings. He becomes a shell of a boy! After he found out what was in his memory box, he gained enough Hope to rush towards his staff, and he mended it together using his own magic...but that's another reason why he needs the staff! You ask why he can't be without it...well, it's because it is a conduit for his powers!"**_

"What do ya mean a conduit? What do ya mean by an immortal child? I thought he only looked young!"

_**"Oh no, he was changed into a spirit at the young age of fourteen. The details of what happened are still a bit of a mystery to me...but I was there when he first took hold of his staff. Anyway, he is incredibly powerful. He can do a great many things that many spirits and people don't know about...and if he doesn't have his staff...his powers are not in check, which means there is the risk of his powers going out of control depending on what he feels. You see...his powers are not like yours and the others..."**_

"Yeah, no kiddin' of what you're tellin' me is true!" I couldn't believe he was that powerful, but what reason would the wind herself have for lyin' to me about Jack? None, that's what. She was his friend and closest thing to a companion for however long he lived.

**_"It is true...his powers are vastly different. Anyway, his powers run off of his emotions. Anger, hurt, sadness, joy, wonder, hope, fear, love, and safety...and he hasn't known the last two..."_**

"W-What do you mean he hasn't..."

_**"No one has cared for him in a very long time." **_She interrupted with a sad and heavy voice._** "All I know is that the last people to care for him were those he called family before he was made a spirit. He had a family and a sister. However, I only knew that because he said it aloud in Antarctica...I don't know what happened to him or his family...but judging from the look on his face...he loved them very much and he knew they loved him."**_

"How...May I ask...How long ago was he made into a spirit?"

_**"Why would that concern you?"** _She asked in almost a wary voice, and that caught my attention, because she had been rather forthcomin' on other answers, but this one.

"Because...I have recently been told that I was the only one to speak to him since bein' made a spirit. Other than you of course, but no one knew that..."

_**"Indeed you were...and I was there with him for that as well. Hmm...since you've taken good care of him so far...I'll tell you. It was three hundred years ago. On Christmas it will be Three hundred and one years. However...since he was at the young age of fourteen, and I was able to sense his human birthday was actually on Christmas as well...That would make him three hundred and fifteen this year."**_

"Th-Three hundred and...?" I asked as I staggered back up against the wall. Tears suddenly streamed down my face and I couldn't bring myself to stop them. The pain in my heart left me feelin' cold, and the guilt nearly crushed every bone in my body. "...That would make him..."

_**"Yes...he's just a bit older than North. Not by much, but a bit older still...and no one noticed him. He wasn't seen by humans until just recently, and for a while, he wasn't sure if spirits could see him either...until the two of you met in 1968."**_

"No..." I whispered out through the tears as I clutched the broken staff in my hand. "...I...oh dear moon...no...I...what I said to him...I..." I swallowed a lump in my throat as my hands began to shake. _'He hadn't known love and safety for three hundred years!?'_

_**"Bunny, if you want to make it up to him...please...I beg of you...mend his staff. He can't fix it like he did before. Please continue to look after him. He came to the Warren on accident...he didn't want to come here..."**_

"What happened?"

_**"A small pack of Wendigo were trying to hurt campers in Australia, and he was passing by when he heard the screams. He called me to force a heavy wind to get them away so I did...but while I was doing that...he took on all four of them by himself. He won and they're dead now, but he...well...you know."**_

"FOUR _Wendigos_? He took them on by himself and killed them all?" I asked urgently. _'And where were we? Where was I? Where was anyone? How long had he had to deal with situations like that!?'_

_**"Yes, four. Now please...mend his staff! I would do it, but I can't. He needs his staff or his powers will grow out of control, and worse than that...he won't be himself. You didn't see the utter and complete darkness in his eyes when he gave Pitch his staff..."**_

"I...I'll fix his staff...but please...tell me what happened between him and Pitch...both before and...a-after Easter..."

_**"I...I don't think you want to know that."**_

"And why the hell not!?" I shouted, then suddenly the wind picked up harshly around my body and it was nearly rippin' my fur off.

_**"DON'T YOU YELL AT ME E. ASTER BUNNYMUND! YOU HAVE CAUSED HIM MUCH PAIN..."**_ The wind calmed and swirled around me almost apologetically, and I found myself wonderin' if this was how she and Jack always talked. _**"...and you are only just now on your way to making it up to him. I don't think you want to know, because you already feel guilty enough."**_

"I...I'm sorry...but I have to know. Also...how do you know my full name?"

_**"I was on this Earth before you were. When you arrived and told others your name, I knew your name and in a sense who you are." **_I heard her sigh and begin to continue._** "...Very well...after he dropped off Sophie, he had every intention of returning to you all, and even told the miniature fairy that they should get back. Then, he heard something calling him. I didn't figure it out until he got there that it was his tooth box...Pitch had apparently activated it just enough for his amnesiac mind to be drawn to it. He followed the voice all the way to his layer. He went in to follow the sound further, but then he was at the mercy of Pitch. I could only carry him so far as the air was laced with evil and darkness. Pitch taunted him with his memories and his greatest fears. He made him go through many dark holes, and distracted him for as long as he could to make sure he didn't make it back. Then, when he just handed the tooth box over to Jack, he told him that he was making a mess right at that moment...when Jack asked him what he did, he returned the question and taunted Jack once more...having him follow him into one of your tunnels where he saw the smashed eggs...That's what happened before Easter."**_

At her words I slid down the wall I was up against, and I felt all the warmth leave me. "I...nearly punched him...and told him..."

_**"You said that you should never have trusted him...just when he was beginning to think that he may have some friends...Yes...I was there for that as I convinced him to fly to Antarctica...and that's where he met Pitch again. Pitch taunted him once more saying that he knew it would happen, and tried to convince him to Join his side to fight against all of you and to join his dark side as a force to be believed in together...and Jack actually considered it because of how hurt he was...but he gathered himself, and denied him. However, Pitch had a trick up his sleeve...he took out the miniature fairy and nearly crushed her in his hand...then he demanded the staff...I screamed at him not to do it...but he told me telepathically that he had to and that it would be okay...Then he handed his staff to Pitch, and everything good about Jack had dissipated in an instant. All of his childishness gone...all that was left was a husk of a boy who just wanted the miniature fairy to be safe. When he asked for the fairy, Pitch told him no, the fairy pecked at him with her beak, she was thrown against a wall, and then Pitch snapped his staff...breaking at least two or three ribs along with it. Then, Pitch tossed him against a wall with his sand, and he lost consciousness briefly as he fell down a cavern. He tried to comfort the miniature fairy, but all he could do was keep her cold...and that's when he told himself that Pitch was right...that he does make a mess of everything. Then...the miniature fairy took out his tooth box from his hoodie and told him to look inside. Once he did we were both a bit shocked by his reaction as neither of us could see what he saw. All I know is the words he said. He said, 'It was...It was me! I had a family! I had a sister! I saved her!' Then he looked up at the moon and said, 'That's why you chose me. I'm...I'm a Guardian...' Then he mended his staff with his magic and I carried him where he wished to be. That's what happened after Easter. Now I've told you and now you will mend his staff." **_

The wind left and went down the hall to where Jack was sleepin' and I was left there breathless and speechless at everythin'. "We...didn't know what happened. We didn't give him the chance to...What have we done? W-What have _I_ done? He...He's an immortal child and...wait...North had said he was on Naughty list...perhaps...perhaps North will have known him longer than I have." As I brought myself back up I clutched my paw around the two pieces of his staff, and remembered how he had come in and I instantly felt sick to my stomach. "H-He didn't want to be here...but he was happy last time he was here...I know he was...so I...I'm the reason he...and he was so bloody...I...H-How am I gonna fix this?" I asked myself as fresh tears spilled from my eyes. I looked down at my paw and remembered that it needed to be mended so that Jack could be himself. "I...I'll start with the staff...but I know next to nothin' about it! If it's a magical conduit...I'm gonna need North's help..."


	3. Chapter 3

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long, because about fifteen minutes after my conversation with the wind, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it and there was North with a large sack, likely filled with the books I asked for. "Where is Jack?"

"I told ya, ya Gumbie. He's in your old room."

He set the sack down and cracked his knuckles. "You've not seen him?"

"No...I actually had an interestin' conversation with the wind."

"With the wind? She speaks to no one but Mother Nature."

"Well, then wouldn't Mother Nature be surprised to hear that the wind and Jack are friends, and she is constantly by his side."

"This is...interesting..." North's eyes widened as he looked to the sack.

"No kiddin'. Hey...I gotta ask...how long has Jack been on the Naughty list?"

"Since Easter of '68. Why?"

"How um..." My ears flattened against my head as a sinkin' feelin' started makin' its way to my stomach again. "...how does someone get on the Naughty list?"

"Well...typically if they are told they have been bad, and have done nothing to fix wrong doings. Also, if they hurt people but don't apologize. Basically...if they do something wrong but don't fix it...why?"

"Wait...so...no one just automatically shows up on that list of yours?"

"No...there has to be reason to appear. They have to know the difference between right and wrong."

"So why did Jack appear on your list in '68?"

"It would have to be because someone told him he was bad, and he didn't do anything to fix it...why does this matter, Bunny? You are starting to worry me."

"I...when I spoke with the wind...she said...well...you're not gonna believe this, mate...but Jack is older than we thought...I thought maybe he was fifty years old...how old did ya think he was?"

"I thought around same number as you, considering when he appeared on list."

"Well...we were way off."

"Surely not by that much!" North said with a laugh, but I wasn't laughing and he noticed. "Bunny...by how much were we off?"

"If you're includin' the fact that he's an immortal child who was made a spirit at the age of fourteen..."

"H-He what?" North questioned with wide eyes, and although the wonder in his eyes increased, so did the sadness.

"I thought ya knew? I mean...aren't only children on that list?"

"No...I have another set of lists for spirits. You are on nice list, but Jack...Bunny...how old is Jack?"

"Well...includin' his human age...He'll be three hundred and fifteen on Christmas."

"He...he is older than me..."

"Yeah, that surprised me a bit too...he's been a spirit for three hundred years...three hundred and one on Christmas..."

"And...his birthday...is on Christmas..."

"Yes...apparently his human and his spiritual birthday are the same."

"I...and no one has talked to him...until 1968...which was you..."

"That's the right of it, mate...but I reckon that I'm the reason he's on that Naughty list of yours...He didn't know about right or wrong until I...well...anyway, he hadn't known, so he was basically travellin' around the world for all that time with the innocence of a new born due to his amnesia."

"Bunny...what did you do?" North asked as his shoulders slumped in what seemed to be his own shame, but I could tell he genuinely wanted to know what I had done back in '68.

"I...Well...it was Easter as you know...and I was out in Europe waitin' for the little ankle-biters to come out for Easter...it was still really early in the mornin' and most of them hadn't woken up yet...but then it started snowin'. Soon, the snow turned into an all out blizzard...I looked around to see what was causin' it, because I could tell it was a spirit...and then I saw Jack flyin' in and out of his blizzard, his staff in hand and he was laughin'...He was havin' fun. I shouted for him to come down and he stopped mid air...He looked down at me and shrugged it off and started with his blizzard, then I sent one of my boomerangs after him to knock him out of the sky..."

"You knocked Jack out of the sky?"

"Y-Yeah..." I trailed off under the harsh judgmental gaze. "...anyway...once I saw where he landed, the snow started to calm, and I walked up to him. I told him..."

"Bunny...what did you tell him?"

"Well...first I asked him his name and he was shocked for a good minute or two that I was talkin' to him...so I asked again and he told me his name was Jack Frost. I introduced myself as the Easter Bunny, and told him that he ruined my holiday with his damn blizzard. He tried to say somethin' but I wouldn't let him...I told him he ruined it and that there was no way he could fix it...I told him...I told him to get lost. I said that...I said that he was a monster and that he made a mess of everythin' and...I...told him...I said...No one would miss him if he were to just disappear...and I said that I don't know why he was made a spirit if he couldn't even control himself...I...Crikey, North...I dunno how the kid was able to look at me after that...Let alone try and help all of us...Least of all...to get Jamie to believe in _me_."

"Bunny...in all the long years I've known you...you've never acted so rashly..."

"I-I know...I was already havin' a hard time that day because I had accidentally slept in an extra week...which made me a week behind on Easter...and I didn't have my usual supplies for Easter...and I guess...when the blizzard covered up a good portion of Europe...especially where I was at...it was the last straw and I took it out on him..."

"You have a lot to make up for..."

"Yeah...I know...but I have a feelin' I'm not gonna be able to fix it all...what I can try and fix is his staff..." I showed North the broken pieces of the staff and he shrugged his shoulders.

"No big deal, I make new one for him, or you can or..."

"No, you don't understand, North...He has to have _this_ staff...the wind said so. It's a conduit for his powers. Apparently he's the _most powerful_ seasonal spirit, so his powers have to stay in check...but also...this staff keeps him in check. Without it...he is literally nothin'...she said without it...he's a husk of a boy with now emotion. No wonder, hope, dreams, joy...nothin'."

"He is...are you sure she said this? That he is most powerful seasonal spirit?"

"Yeah..."

"I will help you mend staff...but I need to see the markings you speak of."

"Alright, come on."

I led him down to his old room, and I opened the door. Right as I walked in with North behind me, we were met with the wind wrappin' around the both of us. _**"You brought Nicholas St. North! This is good! He can help too! He knows lots of magic! He can help Jack! We need to fix his staff soon! I have comforted him, and he will be out for a couple more days, but I don't know if I can keep him out. What are you here for? You should be fixing his staff!"**_

"B-Bunny...was that?"

"Yeah, North...that's the wind..."

_**"Pleasure to officially make your acquaintance North! My name is Wind, and I am Jack's friend, and he is mine!"**_

"I...pleasure to meet you, Wind...we came here to look at the markings Jack's back."

_**"Oh! His winter markings!"**_

"Yes...those...are you aware of what it means when spirits like us have markings?" I asked her.

_**"Oh yes! I am well aware, but I haven't told Jack. I know that for you, E. Aster Bunnymund, you have your markings because you don't JUST represent Hope. You represent Easter! And Nicholas St. North has his markings because he doesn't JUST represent Wonder, he represents Christmas."**_

"So...are you aware of what Jack represents?"

_**"Yes, but I'll let you figure that one out. I think you need to."**_

"Ya can't just tell us?"

_**"No, I can...but I don't want to. Think of this as my own mini revenge for you hurting him this past Easter."**_

The wind immediately died down and I cursed under my breath. Then, North cautiously moved over to Jack and carefully removed the quilt, and I heard him gasp and stagger back slightly. I immediately looked over Jack to see if any of his wounds had reopened, but they hadn't, so I looked up at North who actually started cryin' a bit. "North, what's wrong, mate?"

"J-Jack...he...he looks so small in bed. He's...I just assumed he perhaps looked young...I didn't...but when I see him here...he truly is a child. An older child, but a child none the less...and all of the bandages, Bunny...what happened to cause such injuries?"

"He uh...He fought off four Wendigos by himself in Australia. He actually fought them off pretty well...killed them all...but they tore him up like a chew toy. Thankfully, I didn't see any bites, but they still got him with their claws...which ended up burnin' his skin." I started takin' off the wrappin's from his torso.

Once they were off, I heard North gasp in shock at Jack's torso. "B-Bunny..."

"Yeah, I know...I honestly don't know how he held it all together...the wind said he didn't want to come here, and that he landed here by accident...I don't know how he's gonna react when he wakes up...anyway, let's turn him over so that you can see his back." I carefully turned Jack over onto his right side, and I moved slightly off to the side of him so North could see the markings.

"These scars...they were healed by Manny..."

"I know...I can't figure it out either...what do ya make of the markings?"

"I have an idea...but that has to be impossible."

"What is it?" I asked quickly. Then, I watched him reach into the sack that I hadn't noticed he had brought into the room, and he pulled out a large blue book. "What's in there?"

"Every marking for winter spirit." He told me, and he flipped to the end.

"What are ya flipping to the end for?"

"Because at the end it has picture of what the markings look like when placed together. It has never happened before but..." He gave me the book and I looked at the picture while he held Jack still for me. The picture in the book was exactly what was on Jack's back.

"What does this mean?"

"Read...book was written by Mother Nature."

I found the words on the page but my brain couldn't comprehend them. _"The pure one of Winter would truly be one to respect and fear. The pure one of winter would be more powerful than their seasonal siblings, and will likely be able to do a great deal more. If you are asking yourself why this is, let me explain. It is because the pure one of winter would have two ultimate domains. The North and South pole. It is constantly winter in those areas and therefore he would constantly be in power. Unlike the other pure ones of season that are only in power in certain areas at certain times of the year. The other three pure ones have unfortunately destroyed themselves from trying to be more powerful than the others and causing horrible whether phenomena, and I, Mother Nature, had to dispose of their powers. It has caused me great pain to do so, both physically and emotionally, so I have told the Man in the Moon that the next pure one would be decided by him. However, I highly suspect that the pure one of winter will be alone, and I do not plan to guide another as the loss of the others is still too great for me. Anyway, the pure one of winter will be able to do many different types of magic within his or her elemental range and possibly even some out of it due to the power of having two places on Earth constantly being in season. The pure one of winter will not merely be a winter spirit. It will be winter itself. It will be unpredictable and I dare say, those who gain the pure one of winter's loyalty and friendship...they should consider themselves truly lucky and fortunate, because the last pure ones...they only knew of negative emotions like sadness, heartache, anger, hatred, fear, and loneliness." _I immediately looked at the picture again and back at Jack's back. There was no doubt about it. It was the exact same image right down to the last minuscule snowflake. "N-North...he's..."

"...Apparently...embodiment of winter." He finished as he carefully laid Jack back down onto his back. Then I heard North laugh softly. "I live in what Mother Nature calls his domain...one of them anyway."

"Crikey...and the kid never knew he was the embodiment of winter!? The kid...Mother Nature said in her book that the other pure ones didn't have emotion! Yet, Jack has the most emotions out of all of us!" The wind picked up gently as if to greet us and we heard her voice once again.

_**"That is because of his staff. I told you this before. Without his staff he is but a husk of a boy. It was by sheer luck and circumstances that he was granted that small amount of Hope when he repaired his staff. The two of you will have to mend it and place it in his hands if you want him to be the Jack you knew, and I was wrong about the time limit...he could wake up any moment now...I couldn't keep him asleep, I'm sorry."**_

"Do you know of a way we can fix it?"

_**"You would have to figure out what he poured into the staff."**_

"What do you mean poured into the staff?"

_**"His emotions...he didn't just place the two sticks together and force it freeze together. It would've just been connected by ice at that point. No, he focused on something and used that to mend his staff together. I don't know what that could be, but since it was hope that gave him the strength to reach for his staff...perhaps you could begin there. I think it would be your best bet."**_

"Wait a minute...you can't mend somethin' with emotions. That's impossible!"

_**"It wasn't impossible for Jack. I was there, remember? I watched him put the two broken pieces together and I could tell he held strong negative emotions for a moment, and it didn't work the first time...but then I could practically feel the strong good emotions and the broken area of his staff shined brighter than the sun. Soon, it was fixed and I carried him where ever he wanted to go."**_

We heard a groan and all of us froze, even the wind. We looked to see Jack sitting up in the bed, or at least makin' his way there. Once he was up he looked around the room in confusion. "W-Where am I...?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes. He blinked them at me a couple times. "B-Bunny?" He stuttered out.

"Yeah, mate...I'm here."

"Am I...Am I in your Warren?" He asked, and I looked at his eyes. She was right...and so was the book. There was almost no emotion there at all.

"Yeah. Wind said ya didn't want to be here."

"It wasn't that I didn't want to be here." He groaned out as he flopped back onto the bed. "I didn't want to be a nuisance...again. Besides...I didn't think I was welcome back in the Warren. Not after Easter."

"You...of course you were welcome back here..." I told him as I crouched on my haunches and my ears drooped low behind my head.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly made aware of that was I?" He spat at me.

"I'm sorry, Frostbite. I should've told ya that ya were welcome. So, I'm tellin' ya now, okay? Better late than never right?" I watched with wide eyes as he slowly sat up once more and placed his hands in his lap. "You're welcome in the Warren anytime, Jack. No matter what. It doesn't even matter if it's on bloody Easter. All I ask is that if it's on Easter, ya be careful where ya step." I meant it as a joke, but I quickly regretted it when I remembered what Mother Nature's book had said. "Erm..." I started while scratchin' the back of my head.

Then, my hand immediately dropped at what I saw, and my eyes went wide. There was absolutely nothin' in his eyes. No Joy, no mirth, no happiness, no shred of Hope, or wonder, or even...life. He was just as the wind had told us. He was a husk of a boy. There was nothin' and at the moment, I kinda envied him, because the look in his eyes left me feelin' cold. Cold, guilt ridden, heartbroken, and worst of all...hopeless. "Well...you don't need to worry about that, Bunny. After I'm all healed up here, you won't have to worry about me on Easter ever again. I'll just stay in Antarctica for the whole day. You know...after all of you abandoned me...tricked me into thinkin' I may actually have some friends...I went to Antarctica and Pitch was there. We fought, and in fighting we actually made an interesting and beautiful sculpture made out of Nightmare sand and ice. He asked me what goes together better than cold and dark...interesting that he said that...because all of you made me feel cold and dark. He offered me to join him, and I declined. Do you know why I declined?"

"No...can't say I do, mate..." I told him honestly with my ears still folded against the back of my head.

"Because I didn't want to be feared. I didn't want to be someone that children or even adults would be afraid of. I guess I had that wrong didn't I? You're just afraid I'll mess up Easter again...and you!" He turned to face North who staggered back a bit. "You only ever bothered to talk to me because the Man in the Moon told you to. He forced you to talk to me! Then...you go and do something worse than not talking to me and only doing so because you were told! None of you gave me a chance to explain! All of you abandoned me in an instant, and I have no way of knowing that it won't happen again if I mess up again. If I make a mistake! If I get tricked or trapped! Bunny...you were ready to hit me! Can you honestly tell me that that wouldn't happen again!?"

"I..." I started, but then I saw North cross his arms, and I had a pretty good idea what he was gonna say next.

"You are not Jack." He said simply, and my jaw dropped. I had thought he was going to tell Jack that he was being a naughty child like I've seen him do so often.

"What do you mean I'm not Jack!? I'm sitting right in front of you!"

"No...Jack doesn't sit in front of me. Someone else does."

"Great...you're abandoning me again." Jack complained as he threw his arms up in exasperation.

"No, I will never abandon you. You seem to misunderstand. The one I see before me is not Jack Frost that I know. You are not yourself. Surely you know this?"

"What do you mean I'm not myself!? What would you know?"

"Only what eyes have seen." North answered with a soft smile. "My eyes had seen a boy that was unknown to all except Bunny...but yet he kept a smile that was filled with an air of carefree that no one could ever hope to match. His eyes saw the joy everything...even work! My eyes had seen the Jack Frost I know be stubborn, reluctant, hesitant, foolish, childish, giddy, and I had seen the strength of your heart after we abandoned you...because I will admit...we abandoned you, and it was wrong to do so...but after we abandoned you...you still helped, and it was no longer for yourself. I may not know full reasons why you helped, but I am glad you did...however...right now, you are not acting like Jack Frost from then. You are not Jack Frost...you are something else. Not even a someone...you are empty, Jack Frost. Empty and angry, and hurt, and sad." I couldn't move due to the shock of North's words. I hadn't expected him to say any of that. Especially to Jack of all people. I looked to Jack and his jaw was dropped but there was a flicker of a thoughtful look in his eyes. Barely there, but a flicker none the less. "Let us help get you back."

Jack looked like he wanted to say somethin' and he kept openin' and closin' his mouth like he was goin' to, but nothin' came out so I stepped forward. "Jack, the wind told us that your staff is basically a major part of you. So, I'm also gonna figure that the staff is a pretty personal item for ya huh?"

He looked at me briefly with wide eyes before he darted his gaze to the floor and nodded his head. "Y-Yeah...I had it before I was Jack Frost. I carved it myself...when I was human..."

"Alright...well, I know ya don't have to let us, but if ya would...we would like to try and mend your staff. I will also like it if ya stay here so I could continue to heal ya. Maybe along the way...maybe...I have a hope...that you'll return to your old self without the help of the staff."

"Heal me...?"

"Look down, Frostbite..." I told him gently and he did as I asked. He looked at his arms that had minor scratches and burns that didn't need tendin' to, and he use his fingers to trace every stitch with so much caution, it was as if he were afraid they would tear if he applied more pressure. He then looked at his legs, turnin' each one a little to the left and a little to the right to inspect the bandages.

"Y-You...bandaged me up." It wasn't a question, but I nodded my head anyway. "You...what all did you do to me?"

My shoulders eased at the genuine curiosity laced in his voice. There was less malice and more of that curious Jack that we know...but only a bit. "Well...when ya fell in my Warren, I wasn't sure what to expect...then I walked up to ya, and ya were covered in blood. Nearly head to toe. I called forth a hole to take your staff to my home, and it did...then I picked ya up, and took ya to here...in North's old room from a very long time ago...and I had to cut off your hoodie and your pants so I could get better access to see and work on the wounds..."

"That's okay...I guess..." He sighed out. "...but I'll need new clothes..."

"Don't worry about that, mate. The dresser should already have some clothes for ya in your style and size...anyway...once I got the clothes off, I washed off all of the blood as carefully as I could so I didn't harm ya further...and once I got all the blood off...your body actually used ice to keep the blood from spillin' out."

"It did what?" He gawked at me.

"I take it that's somethin' ya didn't know ya could do."

"If I had known I would've done it decades ago when I was trying to test my limits."

"Right...anyway, after that...I sewed up the wounds, and then I put a salve on your burns. Then finally, I put a quilt on you. After that I stayed with ya for about five hours before goin' to see North to tell him what happened. Once I got back...the wind told me a good bit about you and your staff...she also told me what happened before and after Easter...So I got the explanation of what happened between you and Pitch...both times."

"Oh..."

"No worries, mate. You're here now and that's what matters. Now...would ya let us mend your staff and stay in the Warren...at least until you're all healed up?"

"Well...I do need my staff...I recognize that much at least...and I don't think I would be able to go anywhere. Just...can I ask one of you to go back to my place and get something?"

"Sure...what is it...and where is it?"

"Ah...well...it's a bag from North's that I got from Phil."

"Yeti gave you special bag?" North asked as he quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but I can't tell you what's in it...Actually it might be better if Bunny was to go get it..."

"You...seem a bit more yourself..." North stated, and I realized he was right. It wasn't much...but he was a bit more Jack than he was before.

"I...I don't really feel that way, but thanks I guess...I just want the bag...please?"

"Alright, but where exactly is it?" I asked as I crossed my arms. He had returned to the husk of a boy that only knew sadness and hurt. It was better than anger at least.

"It's at the pond in Burgess. It should be in a small cave nearby. You're going to be looking for the oldest and tallest tree next to the pond. The small cave is right behind the tree."

"Wait..." I started with wide and hurt eyes. "...Don't tell me ya live at the pond."

He just shrugged his shoulders and started messin' with his thumbs. "It's not like I had anywhere else to go to. I was brought out of the pond by the Man in the Moon so I had always called it my home."

"Jack..."

"Don't...just don't." He looked at me with pleadin' eyes, and I immediately snapped my jaw shut. "Will you get the bag or not?"

"Yeah, I'll get it. Don't ya worry."

"Thank you. It will at least keep me busy for the time being. Am I allowed to walk around?"

"Sure, after I get back. I want to make sure that if somethin' happens, I can carry ya back in time and heal ya up some more." He nodded his head hesitantly, but he didn't look at me. "North, I got it handled here for now. I'll let you know if anythin' happens."

"We both agreed to fix staff for Jack."

"I know..." I told him with a short nod. Then, I turned my gaze to Jack and let out a frustrated sigh as I scratched the back of my head. "...do ya mind if North takes your staff, Jack? That way he can focus on Christmas and mendin' your staff..."

"I guess...if you think it'll help."

"I do." I told him and handed the two pieces to North. "Here ya go. I'm gonna go get the bag Jack asked for, you see what you can discover about his staff."

"I will do my best." He told us as he clutched tightly to the staff. He threw a snowball against the wall and immediately walked through.

"Alright...I'm off to get your bag...please don't move from that spot. It's easy to get lost in here."

"Alright." He told me as he let out a sigh and laid back down.


	4. Chapter 4

Once I got to the pond in Burgess I noticed that the pond was frozen solid, and I get that Jack can do some amazin' things, but this pond shouldn't be frozen as solid as it is while I'm standin' on it. I can feel it underneath my feet. This is more than just a frozen pond. There is no actual water to be found throughout the whole pond! It's quite literally frozen solid. "Bunny? Is that you?" I turned my head around and saw Jamie walkin' towards me with his sister quickly followin' behind.

"Bunny! Hop hop hop!"

I walked over to her and picked her up as gently as I could. "Hey there, ya little ankle-biter." I told her as a smile was instantly brought to my face by her gigglin' noises. "Heya there, Jamie! How ya been?"

"I've been good, but what are you doing out here? You do know it's November still...right?" He joked with a small smile, and his new adult tooth startin' to come in.

"Nah..." I drawled out. "...I had no idea!" I finished with a chuckle. "I'm here for Jack. He said there was a small cave nearby behind the oldest tree, but all of the trees look kinda old..."

"Oh! I know the tree he's talking about! It's right behind you."

I turned around and sure enough there was a tree larger than anyone could ever imagine. "You uh...wouldn't happen to know how old this tree is would ya? I'm just curious." I asked as I had to look almost all the way up to the sky just to see the damn thing.

"Oh! I did a history report on it! It's been there since the late 1500's and early 1600's! It's a really old tree!"

"Wait...what did your history report say about it. It's a tree, mate...doesn't get much plainer than that."

"Oh, but it's a super cool mystery and it involves the pond too!"

"How so?"

"Well...you see that far off branch right there? The one that looks like it's been cut off?"

"Yeah..."

"Well it _WAS_ cut off! Apparently by one of the older kids back in the early 1700's. He was a young shepherd and took over the role when his dad wasn't around, but apparently his father had accidentally taken the shepherd staff with him when he left for other work in other villages...so he found this tree and cut off a branch from it as carefully as he could. Then, he carved it into a proper shepherd's staff, and then he used to heard the sheep and cattle when needed, but the history also says he took it with him everywhere he went."

"Why would the history books report about a plain ol' kid?"

"Because...one day he had apparently taken his little sister out on the ice with his staff, the whole town saw it from the other side of the pond. The ice was cracking underneath the girl's feet, and he played a game with her in order to get her off the ice...and it worked! Except...when he saved her he accidentally switched places with her and fell through the ice. The small village regarded him as a hero! However, they didn't have much money in the village so they couldn't commemorate him or anything, but what they did do was tell lots of stories about him, and how he always looked after the children as if they were his own! That's so cool! However, what's apparenlty the biggest mystery in the whole town...was that the day after that kid died, the other villagers realized that the cracks in the pond were completely gone. Then, come spring and summer...the pond never melted! It's been frozen solid ever since!"

"What was the lad's name?" I asked curiously as I was beginnin' to get a sinkin' feelin' in my gut again, especially from him mentionin' that the pond was frozen solid the next day.

"Actually, it's funny you say that. He actually has the same name as Jack Frost, but it can't be him, because the kid's full name was Jackson Overland Frost."

"Wait...so the kid actually died?" I questioned with wide eyes, suddenly feelin' my breath leave my body and my heart practically stop in my chest.

"Yeah...he drowned as he sank to the bottom of the pond. No one could get to him...It's sad...but the mystery about the pond was so cool! Oh...you said you were looking for the cave behind the tree..."

"I think I'll be able to find it, mate. Thank ya for the story too. It was interestin'."

"No problem...well anyway...I was only out here because I thought I saw you...good to talk to ya Bunny!"

"Right back at ya, squirt. Now go on before ya freeze your toes off!"

"Alright, alright..." He chuckled out as he took Sophie back home.

Once I saw them pass Jamie's gate to his back yard, I stood there, almost too shocked to move. _'Jack...ya can't have been that kid...'_ I thought to myself as I inched closer to the tree. _'That would mean you...' _I shook my head to try and push the thoughts away. I needed to get the sack to Jack so that he could at least be a bit content with whatever was in there.

Once I got behind the tree, I noticed that my definition of a small cave and his definition of a small cave were vastly different. This was just a large horizontal hole going through the ground. The sack was easy enough to find, but once I picked it up, it weighed more than I thought. _'Just another thing to add to the list of questions I have for him I suppose.' _

**_oOoOoOoOoOoOo_**

When I finally made it back to Jack's room I found him readin' a book. "How'd ya get that?" I asked him as I walked into the room.

"Oh! Well...I..."

"Ya wondered around didn't ya." I asked with a soft smile on my face, but he couldn't see it, so he probably didn't take my question well.

"Yeah...I did."

"Well...ya obviously found my library. What's the book about?"

"It's about carving. Different things to carve, different ways, different tools..."

"Didn't take ya for a carpenter or wood worker..."

"I carved my own staff remember?"

"Yeah...about that...ya know...when I went to get the sack ya asked me for, Jamie saw me and he showed me to the oldest tree...I couldn't actually tell which was the oldest tree...but figures you would know if ya been by it the whole time...anyway...he said he actually did a history report on the tree and the pond."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Ya carved your staff from a branch on that tree didn't ya?"

"Yeah, but I still don't see what this has to do with anything...or why it would be in a history report...oh and a history report about a tree and a pond? That's a bit strange. What did Jamie say about it?"

"Well...it was certainly interestin'...he said that there was once an older boy that carved a staff out of the tree...he looked after all the children in the village as if they were his own, and then one day, him and his sister had gone skatin' one day, and the boy had taken his staff. Apparently the girl got the villages attention when the ice started crackin' beneath her. They watched not far off as her older brother used his shepherd's staff to get her off of the broken ice...but he fell through. The village was poor so they couldn't commemorate anythin' in his honor, but they called that kid a hero, and they told his stories and stories about him. Jamie thought it was interestin' that the kid had the same name as ya...wonder how he would react when he finds out Jackson Overland Frost is indeed...Jack Frost the spirit." I looked up at him with a challengin' gaze, but it soon fell when I noticed the distraught look on his face.

"I...you found out...you found out how I was made a spirit...and so did Jamie...I..."

"You...were never gonna tell us...were ya, mate." I questioned, suddenly feelin' guilty for findin' out somethin' I wasn't supposed to.

"No, I was it's just...I didn't know how all of you would...What you all would think about me having died then being made a spirit. I don't think that's how the rest of you were made spirits...was it?"

"No...it wasn't, but that's nothin' bad, Jacky."

"Jacky?" He asked me, and for a flicker of a second I thought I saw some of him returnin' again, but it quickly went away as I nodded my head.

"You can give me a plethora of nicknames, but I'm only allowed to nickname ya Frostbite? I don't think so. I gotta come up with other stuff to call ya."

"Good luck with that." He rolled his eyes and went back to his book.

"I thought ya wanted this sack."

"Oh!" He shot up and put the book next to him on the bed. "Yeah, hand it here! I..." As he held his hands out, he wore a slightly worried and hesitant expression along with somethin' else I couldn't name as I handed him the sack. "...was wondering if I could get your opinion on some of these..." He took the sack from me and plopped it on the bed, and begun diggin' into it. "They're Christmas presents I mad...I figured...since North asked me to join all of you on Christmas...I might as well give everyone something. They're all finished, I just needed a place to hide them." My eyes widened as he reached into the bag and pulled out a toy, because at the moment it was almost as if Jack was back...almost. "There's this one, it's for North...I don't know that much about him, so I thought..." He shrugged his shoulders and handed me the wooden carvin'.

As I held it in my paws I was extremely impressed at the craftsmanship and detail right down to the paint it was painted with. "Ya made a perfect replica of the North Pole." I stated as I noticed that the windows were actually created with frost. "Will the windows melt?"

"No, I made the windows without my staff." He stated simply and that got my attention.

"I thought you couldn't be without your staff..."

"I can't be without it for long, but if it's nearby It's okay...it just has to be whole...and even then...it can't be out of my hand for more than an hour. Anyway, yeah...the windows won't ever melt! What do ya think?"

I turned it again in my paws, still completely astounded at the craftsmanship of it all. "I'm thinkin' ya were holdin' out on me, mate. This is amazin'. I didn't know ya could actually paint."

"I can do a lot of things, Cottontail..." He chuckled and my heart felt warm because that chuckle was not the sound of the boy husk from before. It was Jack, and I didn't know what I was doin' to cause it, but I was glad I did. "...I just don't typically talk about them." He shook his head and reached into the bag again as I set the carvin' down on the bed. "This one's for Tooth..."

I took it and found myself grinnin' like a fool. "Ya made her a tooth box?"

"Look at the picture on the circle side."

I did as he asked and I was taken back quite a bit at just how much the paintin' on the side looked like Tooth herself. "Ya created one for her?" I asked as I continued to be in awe at the carefully painted design that almost perfectly mimicked the ones in Tooth's palace, and I noticed that they weren't solid colors either. They were perfect gradients.

"Yeah, I figured...you know...since she has billions upon billions of tooth boxes...that she might want one of her own. Do you think she'll like it?"

"Like it? Jack, I think you may have to practice defendin' yourself. She's gonna tackle ya when she sees this. She's gonna love it."

"I sure hope so...that carving took me the longest to not only carve, but to paint. Hey...open it open it!"

"It opens?"

"Yeah here..." He motioned his hands like a child sayin' 'Gimmie gimmie' and I couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped as I handed it to him. I watched as he opened it by slidin' the middle out carefully, and what was there surprised me. In the box, just like the windows, perfectly frosted and frozen forms of teeth. They looked almost real. "...I had to sneak into a dentist office where I didn't have believers so that I could sketch out what they were supposed to look like and then I made them."

"You sure put a lot of thought into these." I told him honestly as I watched him carefully place the tooth box next to the replica of the North Pole after closin' it.

"Well...there's reasons for that...oh...here's Sandy's..." He took another carvin' out of the bag and it took me a bit by surprise, more than the others had. It was a carvin' of a damn castle! A pretty good sized one at that...just on a small scale replica of some sort, but you could tell the way he painted it, it was meant to be a sand castle. "You think he'll know what it is?"

"I think he'll know, and I think he'll get a good kick out of it considerin' it actually kinda looks like his home."

"He has a home? He doesn't just continuously fly around? Wait...his home is a sand castle!? That's awesome!"

I chuckled low at the childlike wonder that crossed his features, which was highly appropriate considerin' he was pullin' out Christmas presents. "Yeah, he doesn't stop by it often, but North convinced him to have a home of his own somewhere like we had. You know...Tooth, Me, and North. So, Sandy finally agreed, and made his own home on a very small and remote island. North helped make sure it was never to be seen by others so that no one would try and capture it, tear it down...stuff like that. So, yeah...and I think the only time he ever stops there would be during midday...but I also know that since it was put up...he's only stopped there maybe...I dunno...twice? Not often for sure, but it was enough to keep North from pesterin' him about it. It was either have his own home, or North was gonna make a room for him, and Sandy already didn't like the elves much so..."

"Got it...better to get his own home then."

"What about you?"

"What about me?" He nearly snapped, and I knew this was gonna be a touchy subject, but he had called the pond his home, and I didn't feel any magic there other than the pond itself.

"Do you have a home?"

"I...have my pond."

My ears drooped slightly at the slight confirmation of my worries. "Don't ya have a nest?"

"A nest?"

"Right...a bed? A place where ya sleep."

"I do, you saw it. The largest and oldest tree at the pond. That's where I sleep...when I do sleep anyway."

"Jack..." I whispered out, and if he heard me he didn't bother to make it known as his eyes lit up slight as he almost instinctively reached into the sack, which piqued my curiosity. "...There's more?"

"Well...yeah...yours. That's all that's left."

"Huh...well...my birthday is tomorrow...ya could give it to me now if ya want."

"Wait...tomorrow is...You were born on December 1st?"

"Yeah, is that a problem or somethin'?"

"Well it's just...you're a rabbit and..."

"And always have been, I'm failin' to see the point." I told him as I crossed my arms, but then an interestin' look crossed his features.

"Wait...you were always like this?"

"Yeah, ever since I was born."

"The Man in the Moon didn't do this to you?"

At his question I couldn't help it, I doubled over laughin'. I was laughin' so hard I was rollin' on the floor clutchin' my sides. "Did Manny...?" I laughed out. "Oh my..." I kept laughin' until it hurt to breath. I tried to calm down, and it worked for a bit, but I was still laughin' a great deal for a good while until it died down to a chuckle.

"I'll take that as a no then." Jack said with a risen brow. "Didn't know you could laugh, Bunny."

"Oh, and the look on North's face when he finds out!" I started laughin' again. "He had always said that someday he'd be the one to get me to laugh!" I continued to laugh for a good five minutes before I tapered down again. "No..." I chuckled out. "...The Man in the Moon did not do this to me, or Toothian, or Sandy before you ask. We were all originally like this."

"Wait...so why did you laugh so damn hard at my question then?"

"Because, Jack, I'm a Pooka."

"A what'a?"

"I'm a Pooka." I told him with a soft smile. "From a whole other planet...literally, and on my planet there were millions of us. However..." I sighed out. "...because of Pitch I'm the last."

"Bunny...I'm sor-wait! You're from another planet!?"

"Yup, Came to this one when it was shaped like an egg and hurtlin' towards the sun. I quickly dug tunnels and made it round so that it could stay in a stable position...I still think Australia was my best work."

"Y-You...you made the Earth round!?"

"Yeah, and it was no picnic let me tell ya, but I could tell there would be somethin' good about the Earth, and there is. Lots of good."

"Wait wait wait...you made Australia?"

"Funny...a young girl once asked me the same question in a similar way...but yes, I made the continents...why do you think I have tunnels that go to the continents? I made those."

"S-So...wow...that's a lot to process..." He shook his head as he held it in his hands. Suddenly, he jerked his head up to look at me. "Wait...if you made the Earth round...hold up...you bein' a Pooka...what does that have to do with how Manny didn't change you or the others into this?"

"The others were born as they were just as I was...and I...am way way older than The Man in the Moon."

"By how much?"

"How much older am I than Manny?" He gave me a quick nod and I just simply smirked at him. "Try several hundred million years older than Manny."

"W-What!?"

"Ya see, that's why I was laughin' so hard." I chuckled out. "I was born before Manny was even an idea, before his parents were an idea! I will tell ya though...he did make me a Guardian."

"So...I'm the only human Guardian then..."

"No..." I quickly interrupted before he could go all gloom and doom again. "...North was originally Human. He used to be a bandit if you could believe it."

"NO WAY!" He shouted excitedly and I saw more and more of who Jack used to be, but I could tell that the only thing that had returned was wonder, and it had started when he mentioned the Christmas presents. Somethin' to think about later, but at the moment I was just glad he wasn't feelin' or bein' negative.

"Yes way! He was the best in all of Europe back in his day, and he didn't have white hair then! His hair was such a dark brown it was almost black. When I met him he was...at a guess...mid to late twenties...the most early thirties. However, he put aside his bandit ways before I met him. He had also learned magic from Father Time, although back then, he had a different name, but..."

"WHOA! Cool it! Information overload." He laughed out. "North _learned_ magic? And from _Father Time_?"

"Yeah, he did...wait...ya tellin' me you didn't learn what you can do when you were alive?"

"No! I would've been able to save my sister a lot easier if I did." He said with a smile of fascination, but at the mention of him savin' his sister my heart dropped a bit.

"Wait...so...did you learn when you became a spirit?"

"No, not then either. All I knew was I pulled out of the ice, Manny told me my name, and nothin' else after that until after the battle with Pitch...anyway, I had my powers when I was pulled out of the pond, and when I grabbed the staff. However, because I didn't have my staff when I landed on the pond the area I came out of was frozen solid when I touched it with my feet...then I was completely fascinated with what I could do with the staff...making frost patterns and such...I did it to the whole pond just for fun. Little did I know...I actually permanently froze the whole thing."

"Wow...that's somethin' indeed."

"What do ya mean?"

"What I mean is...you're the only one I've eve heard of that was granted powers as well as immortality by The Man in the Moon himself."

"I am?"

"Yeah...which...in a way...since he also brought you back to life, it kinda makes you like Manny's child." My eyes widened at my own statement as I stared at Jack and remembered the small crescent moon shapes on his back.

"Wow...I don't think so." Jack laughed pullin' me out of my thoughts.

"Why not?"

"All he told me for three hundred years was my name...then after we defeated Pitch...then he told me he was proud of me for becoming a Guardian."

"Manny doesn't talk often, Mate. There's also the fact that he gave you your powers and immortality...that would take a lot for anyone. I don't know how he did it, but I'm glad he did, and I can honestly sympathize with him for not havin' the energy to talk to any of us for three hundred years."

"He didn't talk to any of you either?"

"Not until the battle with Pitch."

"Oh...I thought he talked to you more than that."

"No, and actually...it makes sense...if I've got this right...you were made a spirit in 1712 right?" Jack nodded. "Alright, well, it was in that same year that we hadn't heard a word from him until the battle with Pitch. Must've taken a lot out of him to create ya. I didn't even know he could do somethin' like that."

"Huh...well...does it um...does it make me strange?"

"No. Not at all, Jacky. Different? Without a doubt! But I ain't exactly like everyone else either." I shrugged, and I was glad that my words seemed to ease the uneasiness that had quickly grown on him. "So...tomorrow's my birthday...and no, I'm not gonna give you an exact age...but..."

"You want your present don't you?" He grinned at me while raisin' a mischievous brow.

"It's been a long time since I've had a birthday present, and typically Pookas got their presents the day before so that their actual birthday could be filled with music, dance, and food."

"You're just sayin' that so you can get your present."

"I am not!" I chuckled out. "It's true and beside, even if it wasn't you wouldn't have any way of knowin' would ya?"

Jack's eyes lit up with joy for a split moment before he started laughin'. "Alright, alright..." He got up off the bed, which immediately confused me.

"What...mine ain't a carvin'?"

"No." He told me with a serious expression as he reached into the bag and pulled out a large quilt. "I thought...since you could make tunnels in the earth...something carved may not be that great to you, so I made you a giant blanket. That way you can stay warm through winter." He gently laid it out on the grass, and my breath hitched when I saw what the small squares and triangles sewn together created on the quilt. It was an Easter egg basket in the grass with an egg in the basket. The egg wasn't your typical Easter egg, and I doubt Jack knew that, but it was beautiful. It was a pure white egg that gently had a Gradient of light and medium blues goin' further down. It also had intricate swirls that were embroidered into the design and small dots that looked like gems on it. "Mate...um...how many pieces did it take?"

"Over a million I know that much. I created the carvings first and got those done in about a month...then I started on this one. I finished it just last week." He then looked up at me and his jaw dropped slightly. "Bunny...what's wrong?"

"Nothin', mate..." I said, and only just then realized I had been cryin'. "Stupid tears!" I groaned out as I wiped them away.

"Do ya not like it?"

"NO!" I shouted. "I like it...please, don't misunderstand...it's just...I don't think ya know what you created on the quilt."

"It's...It's an Easter egg...isn't it?"

"Well...it's in an Easter settin' that's for sure." I weakly laughed out. "...there's a reason why I had taken a likin' to eggs, Jack. Ya see...Pooka...we may look like rabbits but we ain't exactly mammals. Pook have eggs...so I guess sayin' I was born this way was wrong, but I had gotten used to the term...but what ya created on that blanket...is actually a snow Pooka egg. There's four different types of eggs, but each one always had somethin' unique about it. The four different types of eggs were the snow eggs, also known as winter eggs...then there was the spring or life eggs, the summer or fire eggs, and then the fall or nature eggs. I was hatched from a snow egg."

"Y-You were...hatched? Th-This is a Pooka egg? I...got this idea from a dream I had...I thought it seemed a bit different...but...So..."

"Wait...did Sandy give ya that dream?"

"No...Sandy doesn't visit me, not that he'd know where to look, but no...It was a dream I had...I was actually in the egg...I thouht it was the strangest egg...I thought it was beautiful so I woke up and quickly sketched it out, and thought it would be perfect for a gift for you."

"I guess ya just didn't know how perfect it was...Though...I gotta ask...where did ya get all the fabric and where did ya sew it at?"

"Oh...Well, I sewed it in Antarctica..."

"There ain't anythin' to plug a sewin' machine in Antarctica, Jack."

"Really? I hadn't noticed." He said as he crossed his arms. "I sewed it all by hand. I don't think I could use a sewing machine even if I wanted to. Those things are just too difficult. As for the fabric...I actually found a fabric store that was just tossing out perfectly good fabric into the trash. I took all of them out, washed them, cut them, sewed them, then when all of the pieces were together I washed the quilt, and now it's here..."

"This...this is perfect, Jack."

"You sure? I didn't know it was a Pooka egg otherwise I wouldn't have...well if I had known what happened to your people..."

"Don't ya start feelin' sorry for yourself now." I laughed out as I carefully lifted up the quilt from the floor.

"O-Okay..." He nodded and was silent for a good bit, but then he cleared his throat and looked at me with curious eyes. "...was that what your egg looked like?"

"No...like I said, every egg is special and always has somethin' to do with the Pooka's name. Mine had Aster flowers on it."

"Aster?"

"Uh huh." I said as I continued to marvel at the design of the blanket while I moved to sit on the foot of the bed. Jack sat back on the bed and crossed his legs with his hands in his lap. I smiled up at him briefly before lookin' at the blanket. It filled me with so much Hope and Joy it was ridiculous. "My real name isn't just Easter Bunny or just Bunny."

"But I thought..."

"Nope, that's just what the others call me. My real name is E. Aster Bunnymund." I heard the gasp of shock or wonder...I really don't know which, but I heard it, and although I would've loved to see his face, I was more interested in the small snowflake design on the bottom of the egg. "Jack...was the snowflake on the egg part of your dream?"

"Oh...no, I just thought it would look nice. Why?"

"Well, Pooka eggs hold one small symbol at the bottom of the egg to determine what their name should be, and you put a snowflake on this one." I started gigglin'.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well, it's just...on my planet we didn't call snow...snow...we called it frost. So...essentially...when you made a snow flake...to me you made a frost flake." I told him in between small chuckles. "So, I'm gonna take this as, this is what your Pooka egg would've looked like. It has a frost flake on it."

"Wow...that's a bit strange...why would I have a dream about me being inside a Pooka egg?"

"I dunno. Sandy says that dreams are powerful things. They can tell us things that are important that we don't know the full meanin' of yet. I think this one of those things, but ya see...because it's a Pooka egg we know one thing..."

"It has something to do with you." Jack stated.

"Yup, that it does...give me a mo..." I quickly left the room, and carefully put my quilt onto my nest with the other piles of blankets, and I noticed just how badly I actually needed a new blanket anyway. "Great timin', Jacky." I whispered to myself before goin' back in Jack's room.

Once I walked in he tilted his head curiously at me askin', "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, just went to put the blanket up...thank you for the gift, Jack."

"No problem...Happy Birthday, Bunny."

"Ya can call me Aster if ya want."

"Oh okay...but the others don't."

"And the others don't know you died which...by the way, still kinda heartbreakin'."

"Alright, I get it. Fair's fair...am I allowed to call you Aster in front of the others?"

"Hmmm...It _would_ give them a somethin' to think about, considerin' I never gave _them_ permission to call me Aster."

"Why haven't you given them permission?"

"They never asked and well...it never really came up. I introduced my full name to them, but they just called me Bunny or Bunnymund so I never really brought it up." I shrugged my shoulders and noticed that somethin' was happenin' to one of the stitches. "Can I get ya to lay on your back, Jacky? I need to look at one of your stitches."

"Sure, alright..." He laid back like I asked and I got off the bed to inspect the stitch that was right over his heart. "Is everything okay?"

"I...I'm not entirely sure. Okay, I'm gonna do somethin' I hadn't done in a long time, and I need you to just sit there quietly okay?"

"O-Okay?"

"Good..." I hovered my right paw over his chest, just barely touchin' his skin, and I allowed my magic to connect to the wound.

"B-Bunny?"

"I said quiet, Jacky." I told him in the most gentle voice I could as I continued to focus, knowin' my paw was startin' to glow green. Once I found what I was lookin' for, I cursed under my breath, and focused on pullin' it out through the wound in a way that wouldn't disturb the stitches. Once I pulled it out, I heard Jack wince slightly in pain, and really I couldn't blame him. My magic had to break it apart into several tiny pieces.

"What was that?" He asked me as I tossed the pieces into the waste basket.

"That...was somethin' I should've realized was there before sewin' ya back up. Those Wendigos you faced...well...one of them chipped the edge of their claw in your chest.

"Oh...so that's what those things were...what's a Wendigo?"

"What's a...are ya tellin' me that ya fought 'em by yourself without knowin' what they were?"

"Yeah...children were in danger and I took the oath remember? When I said I will I wasn't just sayin' a couple of words. I took it seriously. So...I was there, and I was able to do something...so I did. I fought them with all I had, and when I was done I...well..."

"Did ya burn them?"

"Yeah, but I didn't want to say it..." He winced at the memory and I just shook my head.

"Nah, mate...ya did the right thing. In my opinion anyway. So...a Wendigo is basically a cannibal gone rabid or turned into a violent spirit...or both. Judgin' from your story and how the campers were in trouble, I'm gonna say you faced a pack of both...and trust me...that's just the basics of what it is. Ya did good, Jacky."

"I did?" The way his voice sounded so timid and so unsure, my ears couldn't help but droop.

"Yeah, ya did...and turns out you're a fast healer...those stitches should only need to be there for another week, and then I'll take them out, and put ya together with some magic."

"Yeah, about that, I didn't know you knew magic too."

"What, ya think I'm just tunnels, paint, fur, and carrots?"

"Well...and Boomerangs." He joked and I gave a soft chuckle as I sat back down on the bed while he sat up.

"Nah, every Pooka was born with a little magic. It was up to them what kind of magic it grew into and I chose Earth, Nature, and Healin' magic."

"Wait...I thought the eggs...since they were seasonal and elemental..."

"Well...I can also do some pretty damn good winter magic, but if ya tell the others, you're a dead human ya hear me? They'll never let me hear the end of it. I'm trustin' ya, Frostbite."

"No, got it! I understand. I swear that I won't tell anyone."

"Good! And to answer your question...which wasn't really a question but still...yes, it's also the season or element that we would excel in. However, we can always strive for other elements, which I did. I didn't like the cold much. So, I went for warmer magic. It was difficult and I still had to practice some of the winter stuff, but I was the best out of season Pooka there was. The leaders even said so."

"Out of season Pooka?"

"Basically a Pooka that chooses to practice outside of their hatched season. Now, you need some rest. I'll see ya tomorrow, Jacky."

"See you tomorrow...Aster..."


	5. Chapter 5

The next day came faster than I had expected. I woke up and made my way to the kitchen only to find that the table had already been set and breakfast was cookin'. I walked in further, knowin' the only other person that could be cookin' in my personal home. "Oi, what are ya doin'?" I asked him as I passed the last arch into the kitchen. Then I took a good look at his clothes. "And what are ya wearin'?" I asked as I noticed he had the same pants he had on before, but they weren't nearly as ripped at the bottom, he was wearin' a light cream colored...almost white...loose long sleeve shirt with a brown sort of over coat over it, but at the same time it wasn't an overcoat so perhaps a man's shawl of some sort.

"I uh...I wanted to put on some clothes, and the first thing I saw in that enchanted dresser of yours...were these. Your dresser is cruel. So...not wanting to be in the same room as the dresser at the moment, I thought I would make some breakfast for us."

"And what do ya mean by my dresser is cruel?"

"These are the clothes I died and were reborn in. This is what I wore when I drowned..." The bitterness was back and in full swing and I doubt the wonder of Christmas would bring anythin' back, but then he let out a frustrated sigh. "Sorry...I didn't mean to snap. I shouldn't have snapped. Especially on your Birthday. Happy Birthday, Aster. I hope you don't mind that I helped myself to the stuff in your kitchen...I was just makin' breakfast...and I'm actually surprised that you eat eggs..."

"Wow, your mouth's goin' a mile a minute! Sorry about the dresser, mate...but if ya ask it or if ya don't want it, it should change the clothes for ya, and as far as me eatin' eggs go, I like all manner of food. Just not sour stuff. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth for weeks!"

"That would've been nice to know...about the dresser I mean. I swear I'm not gonna give you sour stuff. I don't like it either." He chuckled out, but I could tell there was no mirth in the deafinin' sound.

"Ya look fine to me, Jacky."

"Besides...you shouldn't think of it as the clothes that you died and were reborn with."

"Well what else would I think of them, Aster?" He asked me, throwin' his hands up in frustration as well as irritation.

"Well...for starters, you could think of those clothes as the clothes of someone who valiantly saved his sister. Who selflessly traded places with her, and gave her the chance at a good life. Then, you could also consider it the clothes of a new beginnin'. The clothes of the young man who brought the Guardians...not only together...but closer. You could probably think up many more things to think about those clothes but I - Oof!" Before I knew it, I was tackled by Jack who was surprisin'ly not too cold or too warm. It was like a cool spring breeze. Then, I felt somethin' wet on my fur. "Jack? Ya okay?" I asked as I placed my paws carefully on his shoulders.

He shook his head slightly, smearin' the wet stuff against my fur, and that's when I realized it was his tears. Jack was cryin', and it damn near broke my heart even further than it already had. "Ever since...ever since I saw my memory box...I hated those clothes, but I enjoyed the memory. I...in the memories, I didn't see anyone else but Sarah...my precious little sister...so I...I couldn't..." He pulled away from me, and I let him, mostly to see if he was okay or if he needed to sit down somewhere. "...Thank you for saying that." He told me with a smile that sent a pain that wrenched at my spine. "Now I can remember these clothes with happy thoughts."

_'Wait a minute...'_ I thought as I looked at him, and noticed that another unknown piece of Jack had seemin'ly fallen into place just like the wonder in his eyes that had shone when he was talkin' about the Christmas presents. _'What was it the wind had said?'_ I questioned to myself as I held Jack tighter so that he could cry his happy tears some more while I thought about. _'"__He is an immortal child, E. Aster Bunnymund! He still knows Wonder, Hope, Dreams, and he only recently got his Memories!'" _My eyes widened at the thought. _'He's still just a kid! He still holds Wonder, Hopes, Dreams, and he got his memories! But without his staff...that's all gone...but if he can still feel those things without the staff when those feelin's were involved with the topic...'_ A lump formed in my throat as I slowly started to realize a darker side of this. Not a bad darker, but a guilty darker. _'He had always had that...since he had his staff...and now without it...he's experiencin' it like a normal child. Not always joyful, not always sad...Not always filled with good memories, but can still grasp onto the good ones like a lifeline...and Not always find wonder in things, but when he does...he does it with all his might. He's...It's not the staff that needs to be fixed...it's Jack! The reason his staff is a conduit is because he didn't have any memory of learnin' those emotions...his staff holds it all, which means he's never had to learn to control his emotions without it! If he could learn to properly feel...WITHOUT his staff...perhaps...' _I cleared my throat and Jack backed up a bit.

"S-Sorry, Aster...on your Birthday no less..."

"It's alright, mate...but I...think I just figured out how to fix this mess a bit, but first I gotta ask...and I know it sounds a bit ridiculous...but when was the last time ya had Easter, Christmas, or any of those holidays?"

"Um...when I was alive. The last Christmas I had was in all manner of speaking...my last Christmas...same thing goes for Easter that year. You gotta remember, Aster...You were the only one I talked to during my spirit life...and it's been less than a year since the others bothered to speak with me, and that's because they were told to."

"J-Jack..." I croaked out when I heard his words. "...ya haven't had an Easter since?"

"You really never gave me the chance to since '68, and this past year's Easter had been an Emergency...so I don't think it really counts."

"Right...well...we're gonna fix the Christmas thing in...twenty-four days. However, we need to go see North. Do ya think you're up for a tunnel ride to Norths? I was finally able to get a tunnel in front of his door."

"You couldn't do that before?" He asked me with a slight smirk, and I found myself mimickin' it.

"Well, it's all that snow. It's hard to tell where anythin' is at. So, ya wanna go or not?"

"After breakfast. I was up all morning making it."

"Fair enough, mate. What did ya make?"

"Oh, I made some scrambled eggs, toast, and I put cheese and chives in the eggs. Oh, and I didn't know if you wanted tea or something else in the morning, so I made enough tea for two people just in case."

"Mighty kind of ya. Yeah, I drink tea in the mornin'. It's why it's there."

He didn't say anythin', but he did go back to the stove and turned everythin' off. Then, he brought the pan to the table and poured out the scrambled eggs on our plates and divided it evenly. After that he put two pieces of toast on my place and two on his. Then finally, he poured the tea and put the pot back on the stove before sittin' down to eat. "I know it's not much, but it's what I knew how to do..."

"No worries, Jacky." I interrupted with a slight laugh. "It looks good." I sat down in my chair while Jack sat in his and I took a bite, and to my surprise it was amazin'. "Didn't know ya could cook. This is delicious!"

"It's something I learned while at Jamie's house. I haven't really gotten to try it out for myself until now."

"Wait...Jacky...don't tell me you..." I trailed off as I saw a glint of understandin' hit his eyes. He knew what I was tryin' to ask.

"I eat better now!" He tried to assure me, but it wasn't workin'. "Since after the battle with Pitch, I eat better now. I eat at North's...sometimes, or sometimes I go to Jamie's and he sneaks up some food into his room for me. I don't like him doing that, but I appreciate it. Anyway, it's no big deal."

'N-No big deal!? Jack...the way you're soundin'...' I cleared my throat as I slowly set my fork down. "Jack...I don't mean to be rude, mate...but what were your eatin' habbits before the battle with Pitch and after ya came out of that pond of yours? I'm askin' because the way you're makin' it sound...ya didn't have much or any..."

At my words he also put his fork down and he looked at me with more seriousness than any child should ever have to wear. "You would be right. I didn't eat much, and sometimes I didn't eat...but when I did, it was because I gathered it myself."

"Gathered?"

"Vegetables...If a few farmers had some corn, carrots, cabbages, potatoes, and other stuff missing, they never noticed. Then, when it wasn't growing season or if the food wasn't ready, I had sometimes tried to bust in to the North Pole for some cookies or something, but Phil usually got in the way...if it wasn't that...then I would try and sneak food away from people who were at picnics when they weren't paying attention...All that time though, I would only take what wouldn't be noticed. However, like I said...I'm eating better now, and instead of trying to bust in to the North Pole for food, I'm trying to get away from it." He laughed the last part out as he continued to eat his food with his eyes downcast.

Meanwhile, I feel as if I've lost my appetite. _'What else has he had to do just to survive!? I know we don't always need food, a meal here and there would sustain us...but that's all he ever had and it was likely not in full portions...what else has he had to do?' _Not wantin' to focus on the negative for right now, I tried to eat my food and succeeded for the most part. Once I was done, and my tea was gone, I looked at Jack who was puttin' the dishes away and he started to clean them. _'He must've been a good son...'_ My eyes widened at my thoughts and I felt a strange warm tingle in my heart. _'...and where had THAT thought come from!? Moreover...WHY had that thought come!?' _I got up from my chair, tryin' to ignore my strange thoughts that appeared for no apparent reason, and I stood next to Jack in the kitchen while he washed dishes. "Jack...ya know...you're always welcome in the Warren now. So, if ya need a quick bite, you're welcome to come and have meals with me if ya want. Might even have to ask ya to make some meals. That was seriously good."

My words seemed to shock him, because he immediately turned around and dropped one of the plates he was cleanin', and it crashed to the floor. "O-Oh, I'm s-sorry, Aster..." Jack's wide eyes immediately darted to the floor as he bent down to try and pick up the pieces.

I leaned down and started helpin' him. "No worries, Jack. Just some glass. I can make more."

That seemed to get his attention, because the small shard that was in his hand had gently clattered to the ground. "You...you can make glass plates?"

"You're not the only one who can do a bunch of stuff and not talk about it."

"Aster...I'm so sorry...I didn't know you made these..."

"Jack, look at me." I told him in a much gentler voice than I had intended and it sounded a bit foreign to me, but it got him to do as I asked, so it was okay for now. Once his eyes were on mine I let out a soft sigh as my eyes darted to the broken shards of glass. "This..." I looked back up at him. "...was an accident, and that's okay. Accidents happen, mistakes happen, and yeah, I have to make a new plate...but if you're interested...I can use this accident to show ya how to make a plate...although...the heat of makin' glass may be a bit much for ya...we could have ya make pottery. Just as good, and ya can carve into them to make a design if ya want. I'll just be the one to take them in and out of the kiln..."

"You have pottery stuff here too!?"

"Yeah, I have lots of stuff that involves art. They're just kind of scattered into different areas of the Warren. Anyway, don't worry about the plate."

"But...I broke it..."

"Yeah, and your face shows all the remorse that's needed. It's fine, Jacky. I promise. It was an accident. It wasn't like you threw it to the ground. Then...perhaps I would be miffed, but only then." I started pickin' up more pieces of glass, and I felt Jack's shocked gaze. "Is somethin' wrong, Jack?" I asked as I picked up the last piece and walked all of my pieces to the waste bin.

"You...you said that I...that I could come and eat meals with you. I thought...and then you said all that stuff about making another plate and saying it was okay..."

"Yeah, and I meant every word." I quickly interrupted his ramblin'. "You said you thought somethin' in there...what was it?"

"I...I thought...I dunno...I thought you hated me...or at the very least didn't like me. I mean I know you were glad that I got Jamie to believe but I didn't think...and then you said I could come into the Warren..."

'How is it this kid who is supposed to be the Guardian of Fun and Joy...break my heart so easily!?' I shook my head and let out another frustrated sigh as I leaned against the counter. "Jack...I never hated ya...or disliked ya."

"But...what about the blizzard of '68?"

"Back then..." I trailed of with an intake of breath and let it out with my next words. "Back then I was pretty pissed, I'll give ya that...but I never disliked ya. Mad at ya, oh for sure! Not that I know the exact circumstances of what happened, but back then I was livid...it still wasn't enough for me to hate ya...or even dislike ya." I looked at him to gauge his expression and his jaw was dropped. "What?"

"You...well...for one...I'm...surprised. You don't hate me...or dislike me...and then...Aster...you cussed!" A short laugh left his lips at the last three words and I couldn't help the smirk on my face.

"I do that a lot more than ya think, Jacky. If ya brush up on some other languages and lingo, you'll find out that I have a worse mouth than North, and that man could cuss out a sailor...but in Russian."

"I...I had no idea!" Jack laughed out a bit, and the look on his face only confirmed my thoughts from earlier. _'Jack had never learned how to be a kid, how to feel...his staff gave him all of that...and without it, he turns into a normal kid...but with powers. Even I remember all the way back from when I was a young Pooka...just how much emotions can change your magic. Yet, he wasn't given that chance, and all he has left for knowin' how to feel are the memories of when he was alive, which had to be handed to him after livin' as a spirit for three hundred years. It's not the same for him, but he seems to be learnin' bit by bit so maybe...' _I heard Jack clear his throat, drawin' me out of my thoughts and he gave a slightly concerned look. "You okay, Aster?"

"Yeah, I'm alright, Jacky. Just a lot on my mind. Hey, ya know I meant what I said, right? You can come and eat meals with me if ya want."

"Y-Yeah...that would be great!"

"Good to know, now...we should probably get to North's soon. I have a few things I need to discuss with him anyway."


	6. Chapter 6

Once we got to North's office he was actually about to leave it. "Ah! Bunny! Jack! Good to see you! I was just about to come speak with you! Are your injuries, Jack?"

"They're...better."

"Something wrong?" North asked, and frankly I wanted an answer to that question too.

"No, it's just...they're a bit irritating under my clothes."

"Ah, was going to comment on strange clothes as well..."

"They're his clothes from before he was turned into a spirit." I quickly interrupted before Jack could answer. "The dresser conjured them up."

"Oh...well then...back to matter at hand. I have determined that staff may be more than just a conduit."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked with a curious expression.

"Well...it seems that your staff holds everything we Guardians represent among a few other things. It holds Hope, Dreams, Wonder, Memories, Joy, Love, and Friendship. It is incredible that Manny put that much into a simple staff..."

"The staff ain't simple, mate." I told him with a slightly proud look on my face, although...I didn't really know why it was there, but I wasn't about to mention it.

"How do you mean, Bunny?"

"Jack carved that staff himself."

North's eyes widened at my comment, which caused mine to narrow in confusion at why that bit of information would cause that kind of reaction. "You were child when you carved staff?"

"Yeah..." He shrugged his shoulders. "What does that have to do with it?"

"Because Jack...you were child when you carved this...you put hard work into staff...I can feel it when I hold it. You put so much feeling in staff while you created it, and you didn't even know it. You, Jack...had some sort of hidden magic in you when you were human."

"What do you mean by hidden magic?"

"You remember how you found out I learned magic? I wasn't created with it..."

"Yeah..."

"Okay...is like that. I may not have been born with my magic or powers, but I had a hidden magic inside me. That hidden magic is unique to me and me alone just as it with everyone who has hidden magic. Since I had hidden magic I was able to learn and grasp magic rather quickly. Bunny also has hidden magic."

"Wait...so what does this mean?"

"It means...that your staff is indeed part of you. You put small pieces of yourself in staff without realizing it. Don't worry though, you didn't lose anything from yourself...it's just another thing that makes you unique."

"Okay...so did you find out how to fix my staff?" Jack questioned, obviously a little bit in shock of North's information.

"No, unfortunately not, and you having hidden magic since before you were the Jack Frost we know...it complicates things. That's why I was going to see you two. To tell you it may take some time. I hope that's okay."

"That's fine."

"You are more than welcome to stay here in North Pole while you wait."

At the suggestion, my eyes went wide and I felt somethin' sharp and...angry...in my chest. The feelin' confused me, and if I'm to be honest...it scared me a little, because I didn't know why it was there, or why I would feel so angry at North for such a harmless suggestion. "No thanks." Jack said, and that feelin' instantly went away as it was washed away with relief, and I'm still havin' trouble understandin' why. "I think I'll just hang out with Bunny." He told him with a smile, and somehow a small pang crawled through the rushin' waters of relief and settled in my chest somewhere when he didn't call me Aster.

North's eyes went wide of course, and at the moment only I, Tooth, and Sandy would know why. That is...until he told Jack. "Bunny never invites anyone into Warren unless it is emergency. Did he invite you?"

"He what?" Jack questioned as he looked at me with wide eyes. "Well uh...yeah in a way...he said I could eat meals with him if I wanted."

"Bunny..." North started with a shocked expression that somehow left me of all people feelin' embarrassed. "...You sure you want to do this, old friend?"

"What do ya mean?" I asked him, feelin' completely confused. _'Why would I have to have second thoughts on feedin' Jack!?'_

Then, for some reason, after I asked him that, a look of realization crossed his features. "You do not know why I ask such thing...well, if you do not know, then it is no problem. For now, take good care of Jack. He is twig. Feed him proper."

"Feed _him!?_ This mornin' I woke up to _him_ makin' _me_ breakfast!" I laughed out, and that seemed to bring back the shock in North's eyes, which made me feel like I was on some kind of roller coaster that I didn't know I had gotten on. "...but you don't have to worry. I'll make sure he eats. I have some stuff for him to do anyway. Oh, and before we go..." I gave a smirk to Jack before pointin' it towards North. "Jack managed to do the one thing you were never ever able to do, and that you swore you would one day."

"No!" North groaned out in shock. "_HE_ MADE _YOU_ LAUGH?" He shouted, but it wasn't in anger, but disbelief more than anythin'.

"Oh yeah!" I chuckled out. "He had me rollin', mate. I was on the ground clutchin' my sides, because I was laughin' so hard. I actually had tears and couldn't breathe because of all the laughter. He got me good."

"How was this done?" North questioned like he was aimin' to repeat the action, and honestly, I wouldn't have been surprised if he were to try.

"He asked me a question." I told him honestly with a slight grin. "That's all it took. Well...it was also the question itself, but yeah."

"What was question?"

"Ooo...Sorry, mate. We got stuff to do."

I tapped my foot twice and grabbed Jack as we fell through the tunnel, and behind us I could hear North. "Bunny! Get back here! I must know!"

_**oOoOoOoOoOoOo**_

Once we got back to the Warren, Jack's laughter filled the air, and it was filled with mirth and Joy. "I can't believe it! The way you left North like that!" He laughed out, clutchin' at his sides. "That was priceless!"

"Well, when ya got the approval of the Guardian of mischief, what more do ya need." I said with a smirk as I started walkin' towards the East side of the Warren.

"Guardian of JOY and FUN, Aster."

"Same thing to this Pooka."

"Whatever...wait...hey, aren't we going the wrong way?"

I turned my head to face him as I kept walkin'. "What do ya mean?"

He caught up to me and looked around. "I thought your home...burrow...whatever it is...I thought it was the other way."

"Right you are, but I do recall sayin' I would show ya how to make another plate. Now, granted...your's will be a pottery made plate, but that shouldn't be an issue at all. I have a few pottery made mugs. So...ya interested?"

"Y-Yeah! But are you sure?"

"If I wasn't, we wouldn't be walkin' there now...would we?"

"I suppose not."

"Good to see ya agree." Once we got there, I told the sentry that was guardin' the door to move, and I let Jack go in first. When I finally came through the door after him, I felt amusement bubble in my chest at his shocked expression at what I called the pottery room. His jaw was dropped, his eyes were wide, and his arms went slack at his sides as he looked around the rather large room. There were raised shelves that held pottery made bowls, plates, cups, and vases. There were two pottery wheels with the tools attached to the sides of the pottery wheels. The ground wasn't covered in grass like it usually was. It was actually made of the same type of stone my sentries were made out of, and held just as much moss. What he didn't know was that the glass room looked the same, but it was much much warmer. However, off to the right was a door that led to a set of rooms I took no joy in creatin', but it became very useful for makin'. "Ya like 'em?"

"They're beautiful! It's just...they all look kind of...different in their own way."

"It's because some of them are shaped a bit different and there's different types of clay used for some of them. Do you want to make a plate like the one you accidentally broke?"

"Would that be okay?" He asked me as he still looked up at the shelves.

"If it wasn't would I have asked?" I chuckled out. "Well, if you're gonna want to do that...we're gonna be makin' a porcelain plate."

"Porcelain is made out of clay?"

"Yeah, with the clay you're gonna use. It's sometimes called china clay, but you can just call it white clay if ya want."

"Why would I do that?" He asked as he finally looked at me.

"Come here..." I told him as I walked to the door that led to the set of rooms that held different types of clay. "Open that door on the left."

He looked at me with a skeptical look, and I just nodded my head towards the door, silently tellin' him to go ahead. Once he did he looked at the floor and his mouth gaped open. "The floor is made of clay!?"

"Yup! Made it myself, and kept it as moist clay with a little bit of magic. Also, don't worry about it takin' real long on the pottery gettin' finished. Magic is a wonderful thing, and I put a little into the pottery and the kiln. It should only take up to an hour for each process. So it should be done today if we're lucky." I told him with a proud smile. "So, can ya see why I said that you could call it white clay if ya wanted to?"

"Yeah...it's completely white."

"Good job. Now, reach in there and get a good handful of it with both hands, and bring it over to one of the pottery wheels. I'll do the same so that you can watch what I do."

"A-Alright." He dug his hands into the clay and the next thing I heard was a fit of giggles which was quickly followed by laughter. "It's so squishy!" He laughed out as he picked up his scoop of clay, and I couldn't help the soft smile on my face, nor could I help the mysterious warm tingle that made its way back into my chest. Once his scoop of clay was on the pottery wheel he looked up at me and then at his hands. "Uh...should I clean my hands?"

I snorted at the ridiculous question, and I shook my head. "Wouldn't do ya any good since you're goin' to be formin' the clay with your hands."

"Wait...I'm going to make it with my hands? Not tools or anythin' like that?"

"Tools come later, Jacky. Right now...it's a bit different from your carvin's. You will be moldin' it to the shape you want it to take. In this case, that's gonna be a plate. Take a seat." I told him as I grabbed my own scoop and set it on the pottery wheel, and then I realized I forgot somethin'. "Hold up..." I told him as I walked over to the nearby closet and I pulled out two aprons. "Here, put this on. It may be a bit big for ya, but it should keep a good portion of the clay off your clothes. It ain't that great to wash out."

Once we both put our aprons on and we both sat down in front of our lumps of clay I started instructin' him on how soft or hard to press on the peddle, and how to position his hands. However, within about ten minutes, the clay that he had on his pottery wheel started splatterin' and then some of it fell to the floor. "I-I'm sorry..."

"No worries, Jacky. You're learnin'. It's okay to make mistakes when you're learnin', because it means that you're in fact, learnin'. Trust me, this room has seen it's fair share of messes, and it's not like ya got any in my fur. Gather together what ya got, and if ya need to go get more clay that's fine too. I'll show ya how I do it. I should've shown ya that first anyway." He ended up havin' to go get some more clay, but when he sat down his cheeks were red. "Huh...thought ya would've blushed lavender or blue..."

"It's not funny." He lightly snapped, and I could tell it was mostly out of embarrassment, but I could also tell by the sudden shock on his face that he hadn't meant to snap. "S-Sorry...I didn't mean to..."

"Jack, it's _okay_. You're embarrassed. When people get embarrassed the don't like bein' poked fun at. I get it. Now, _you_ just need to get it. It's _okay_ to be embarrassed. There's no shame in it, really. I'm sorry for pokin' fun at ya...but I really did think you would've blushed a different color."

He shook his head as he stared at the pottery wheel. "No...I blush the same color as everyone else." I sat still for a moment, allowin' his embarrassment to fade a little. Then, he turned to look at me, and he had a curious expression on his face. "Why...?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you...I dunno...Why are you being so nice to me?"

I let out a sigh as I looked up to the ceilin' as if it would have the answers...it didn't. So, I ended up sayin' the first thing that came to mind. "Because ya deserve it." I told him as I looked him in the eyes. "I ain't proud about how I treated ya for all the decades I knew ya existed...and no, this isn't me tryin' to make up for it, but it is me treatin' ya how I, along with the rest of the Guardians, should've treated ya."

"And what would that be?"

"With respect, patience, compassion, and understandin'. You are an immortal child, mate. That can't have been easy on ya, and I'm more at fault than anyone else. I...I..." I swallowed the lump in my throat that quickly grew in my throat the more I spoke.

"You...what, Aster? What's wrong?"

"I...should've been a better Guardian. Y-You're an immortal child, Jack. We all should've been better to ya." I looked at him with guilt damn near floodin' my chest, and what I saw both surprised and confused me. He was lookin' at me with a soft smile, and the utmost understandin' in his eyes. "What?"

"No worries, Aster. You're learning. It's okay to make mistakes when you're learning, because it means that you're in fact, learning." My eyes went wide as he repeated my words back to me, and the relief at hearin' them nearly left me breathless. "Yeah...it was a few decades of mistakes, and you weren't that nice to me when I joined the rest of you, but what's important is that you're being nice now."

I shook my head with a scoff in pure disbelief. "Ya know...sometimes the maturity you can hold would put most human adults to shame."

"Not Pooka adults?"

"Ah..." I smiled at him with a slight glance as I turned to face my pottery wheel again. "...Nice try, Frostbite." I chuckled out. "...not this time...but sometimes I suppose." I muttered as quietly as I could as he smiled down at his lump of clay. "Now..." I said louder. "...Watch me, and I'll show ya. Ya don't want it to go too fast or too slow, alright?"

"Alright."

As I focused on the plate in front of me, I could tell that Jack was payin' close attention to every movement my hands made, and for some reason that warm tingly feelin' came back, and it was mixed with pride. Which told me that with that combination I must've been feelin' a type of pride, but I've never known it, so I really couldn't put a name to it. So, I just continued to finish my plate until I was satisfied with the shape and style of it. "There, that's how ya make a plate."

"Okay!" He told me excitedly, and he turned around to his pottery wheel and carefully pressed his foot against the peddle.

"That's a good speed, Jacky." I told him and let out a joyful giggle. "Now...it may feel funny, and it may tickle your hands a bit, but do what I did, okay? And don't forget to make sure that there aren't any bubbles in the clay. The last thing we need is an explosion." He nodded his head while still focusin' on his clay, and to my surprise he did it perfectly. He even made it look like mine. Once he was done I got up and looked at the plate. "This is pretty good, Jack. I'm proud of you."

"You are?" The sound of astonishment in his voice made somethin' ugly twist in my gut.

"Yeah..." I told him with an honest smile. "...I am. Now...I will need ya to leave the room so I can put this in the kiln. Don't want ya gettin' burned, and I really don't wanna test a winter spirit's limit to heat."

"I've been perfectly fine in the summer! Well...I've gotten a bit overheated, but I've been fine."

I shook my head with the same smile on my face. "Nah...ya don't get it, Jack. This ain't just a couple hundred degrees."

"Really!? How hot does it get?"

"Try 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit."

His eyes shot wide open and his jaw dropped as he immediately stood from his chair. "How can ya stand it!?"

"It's rather simple...I put special mits on and I put these in there before they reach that temperature. The temperature it's at right now would be no different than bakin' a cake, but I still don't wanna risk gettin' ya burned. Can ya please do as I ask?" I questioned with a pleadin' look, and I hated that the expression on my face came so naturally. _'Why am I actin' like this around him!?'_ A voice in my head questioned loudly, but there was also a very soft, very quiet, and very vague voice sayin', _'Pay closer attention to yourself...'_ I rolled my eyes at myself as Jack nodded his head and left the room. Once the door was closed I looked at our plates and let out a sigh. "What is wrong with me? What is that kid doin' to me?"

After I put them in the kiln, I walked back out and noticed that Jack was walkin' away. "Jack?" I called out, and he stopped to turn around.

"Hmm?"

"Ya alright?"

"Yeah."

"You gonna answer me with more than one word?"

"I dunno." He said with a slight smirk, but his eyes seemed to say more than he did.

"What's wrong? Ya can tell me."

"Nothing's wrong." I crossed my arms as I walked closer, and he shook his head. "I'm being honest, Aster. Nothing's wrong. Just...a lot on my mind."

"Like?"

"Like...this whole situation."

"I'm gonna need more than that, Jacky."

There was an instant flick of irritation, and I automatically knew I had somehow touched a nerve in the young teenager and older child. "Well...for starters...before I got injured the only other time you ever said my name to me with anything other than a pissed off tone...it was when Pitch was about to off me with his scythe. Then...I get injured and you're calling me by my name and even adding a 'Y' at the end. Then, you're being nice to me...and I'm glad about it really I am...but there's a part of me that thinks...I dunno..." The mild ire that was in his eyes quickly died into somethin' akin to frustration, agitation, and curiosity all at once. "There's a part of me that thinks that you're just doing this because you're stuck with me, but I know that at the North Pole I chose to be here...but still...there's also a part of me that is wondering...I keep thinking that I'll mess up again...bad." His shoulders sagged some and his gaze went from me to the grass beneath his feet. "Then with all the stuff you've been saying like me being able to come and eat with you, and that you're proud of me, and that I made you laugh, and that you're willing to teach me all this stuff, and that you seem to be trying to make sure I understand that certain things are okay...I dunno...it's all a bit confusing, and I just don't know why you're doing it. I'm not complaining really...I'm glad for it...I just don't know why it's happening."

"Well..." I scratched the back of my left ear as I let out a nervous chuckle. "...honestly...I'm at a bit of a loss to it myself." It wasn't somethin' that I wanted to admit, but it was the truth, and Jack needed and deserved that. "However, what I do know is that we're both gonna figure it out together. In the meantime, we'll wait on the kiln. Ya can go ahead and take a shower. Come here..." I walked him over to the side of the hill that had the pottery area carved into it, and showed him to the waterfall that was hidden deep behind the hill. "...ya can take a shower there."

"Um...I don't know if you noticed, Aster...but I'm a winter spirit. Not only that, but I'm a winter spirit without his staff...That water is going to freeze as soon as I touch it."

I rolled my eyes and thought to myself, _'Technically, you're the embodiment of winter without your staff...but I'm not sure I should tell ya that yet...'_ I let out a sigh and shook my head. "Ya want to learn how to control that?"

Jack started to laugh as if I told the most hilarious joke in the world, but then he looked up at me and saw that my arms were crossed and I had an eyebrow raised. "Oh...you're serious."


	7. Chapter 7

"That I am, Jacky. Ya see...the way I see it, you're gonna have to learn some kind of control without your staff if somethin' like this happens again, and if it's what I suspect, then I should be able to help you control it."

"And what do you suspect it is?"

"I think that you're a bit like me when I was learnin' magic."

"You couldn't have been as bad as freezing an entire waterfall."

"No? Try coverin' my entire house in vines and earth. The Warren? It wasn't always this big, nor this green, nor did it have this many damn plants."

"Wait...the Warren wasn't always this size?"

"No, it used to be smaller when I was first tryin' to connect myself to the Earth of well...Earth...and in my attempts to control my magic, I made this place larger, grew more plants than I ever thought possible, most of which didn't even exist on my home planet, and I grew trees, and lots and lots of green. How do ya think those magical plants came to being? The ones that sprout the eggs. Ya can't find a seed for that anywhere in the universe. My magic created that. It was a fluke and I was able to thankfully do it many times over, but yeah...most of the Warren is from trainin' my magic."

"Wow...do the others know that?"

"No. Mainly because when North first came here it was already this size. Some have come to call my Warren the birthplace of Spring, and in some ways I suppose it is...but that's another story for another day. For now, the point is, ya just need to learn to control it, that's all. Then, ya might even be able to enjoy a lukewarm shower."

"You don't seriously think I can learn to control it _do you_? I mean...I've gone three hundred years without being able to control it like that."

"No, you've gone three hundred years without tryin'. All ya have to do is put in the effort. I can't think of a better time to learn than now. Besides, it should help pass the time while we wait for the kiln. It's got about forty-five more minutes."

"What about your Warren?"

"Jack, I'm the Guardian of spring. I can melt your ice. Don't worry."

"Okay...if you're sure...I would appreciate it if I can learn something like that."

"You should be able to. All we have to do is break down your magic."

"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO!?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his question. The panicked look on his face was priceless, and for the second time, Jack managed to do somethin' North swore he would do. "Oh...wait until I tell North that ya made me laugh again. Okay...we're gonna have to break down your magic. Don't worry, it's not gonna hurt ya none. However, it may be a bit irritatin'. It's like...breakin' down ingredients to food."

"Oh...so we're basically going to see what makes my magic...well...the magic it is."

"That's exactly right!" I shouted with a twinge of pride. "So...first thing's first...what is your magic."

"I think that's pretty obvious."

"Might not be as obvious as ya think. What we know is that it's winter magic...but what else is it?"

"What do ya mean?" He asked me with a tilt of his head.

"Hmm...alright...you remember when I told you that I was born a snow or winter Pooka, and that I could do some pretty good winter magic?"

"Yeah...?"

"Alright...watch." I told him with a smug grin. I focused on the magic I hadn't used in...I don't know how long, and I froze some of the river that the waterfall went into, and froze into the shape of a circle. Once I was done I heard an audible gasp from Jack, makin' my smug grin even bigger.

"The water's going around it!"

"Yup. Now...you tell me what my magic right here is...because even though it's one thing right now...it can be many more things as well. It's what you want it to be that makes it what it is."

"Hmm..." He hummed with an excited smile. It took him a moment and then it seemed like he understood because his eyes lit up, just as he moved to stand on it. "It's like a stepping stone to get you to the other side of the river!"

"Good job! Now, come back over here." I told him and he did so with a wide smile. _'Alright...so he was able to feel wonder and fond memories...I guess this is the time that Joy gets brought back.' _I stepped out onto the ice and I heard another gasp come from him. I turned around and noticed a look of realization. "What's wrong?"

"It's just...It makes sense now that you didn't slip or fall on the ice."

"Yeah, but it's still pretty darn cold. So, watch carefully because I'm only gonna do this once. It'll be like nothin' ya ever seen."

"What is it?"

"Well...it's not really important to the lesson...but it's what happens when you mix spring magic and winter magic." I told him with a soft smile. _'Perhaps this will put a wider smile on that face.'_ I don't know the cause of the thought, but at the moment I didn't mind. I turned from him to look at the ice beneath me and I started to draw a bunny. Then, I carefully pulled it out of the ice, and it started hoppin' around. I got off the ice and back on land, and expected to hear laughter or see a wide smile. That's not what I got. What I got was a stunned and confused expression as he watched the frost bunny jump around until it exploded into a puff of snow that melted before it hit the ground. "Jacky? What's wrong?"

"I-Is that ice still frozen?"

"No, it's meltin'...do ya want me to make another one?" He nodded his head, and so I did. Once it was made, I looked at him and I started findin' myself confused and concerned at the same time. I would've thought it would've caused some sort of reaction...not that. "What's wrong?"

"Just...Just watch..." He told me as he stepped onto the ice, and my eyes went wide with shock as he repeated the same exact thing I did. Soon, there was another bunny hoppin' around us as he stepped back onto land.

"H-How did you...?" I asked once it turned into a puff of snow.

"It was how I got Jamie to believe in you. He was holding onto a stuffed rabbit and was just on the edge of not believing in you anymore...so I first frosted the window and created an egg...then I thought perhaps that wasn't enough...and for some reason I felt like it was something I could do...hoped I could do...and I did. The bunny jumped around him, getting him to believe again...and a stray snowflake fell on his nose causing him to believe in me too. Aster...what does this mean?"

"This..." I chuckled out in an almost giddy manner. "...this means you are much more than a winter spirit." Suddenly, I remembered the markin's on his back. "Jack...did ya know that you have markin's on your back?"

"Yeah...I read about it at North's after looking in the mirror one day...apparently I'm a pure one or somethin' like that. The embodiment of winter."

"Good, that saves me from explainin'. Okay, yes...that seems to be true...very true...but what that book doesn't say or what it's author didn't factor in...was if the spirit was originally human...and if that human had hidden magic like North said you had. You may be more than any of us could ever think, because I promise ya...that particular magic can _only_ happen if you combine spring and winter magic. Do ya remember what I told ya about Easter?"

"It's about New Beginnings, New Life, and Hope."

"Exactly...well...spring is almost the exact same...this magic really focuses on the new life part as you are creatin' a sort of artificial life by bringin' a drawin' to life. Jack...ya can do spring magic!" Suddenly, it hit me. He said it was how he got Jamie to believe, and as touched as I was, it may actually help figure out another component to his magic. "You said that this was how ya got Jamie to believe in me. What did ya feel when you made the bunny come to life?"

"I...When I brought it to life...I wasn't really focusing on anything..."

"That may be, but ya felt somethin'. Ya would've had to in order to do this sort of magic."

"I felt...Hopeful...I kept hoping it would work, I hoped that Jamie would believe, I hoped that it would be enough, I hoped that he would believe in you again even just for a little bit. I also...when it landed in my hand, I felt Joy. It made me happy, it made me laugh, it made me feel excited, and it made me feel content all at the same time as it left my hand and began jumping around. I focused on all of that again to make the one from just now. Although...the bunny didn't last nearly as long as the first one, nor did it jump around as if it was playing."

"Jack..." My eyes were wide, and I felt pride swell up in my chest at his words. "...that's incredible. I feel honored, considerin' I'm the Guardian of hope and all. This also helps us break down your magic."

"Okay...so what is it now?"

"Well...first off...your magic is much more complicated than we thought. What we know is that you are able to harness spring and winter magic, and that your magic is fueled by your emotions more than your focus."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, ya said that the bunny's actions this time were different, yeah?" He nodded his head. "...okay, and when ya felt it, it was happy and hopeful and it lasted longer and it hopped playfully?" Another nod, and then a look of realization.

"Oh..."

"I think ya got it. Ya see there are four different ways to use magic. There is focus magic which is exactly what it sounds like, which is what most other spirits have to do...even North. There is incantations which is sayin' words to make things happen...not very popular anymore, but it was a thing, and could still be a thing if used carefully enough...and not around normal humans...anyway, then there's imagination magic which is what Sandy can do. He thinks it or imagines it and he can use his sand to create it. Then there's us. You and I have emotional magic. Not so great soundin'...but truth be told it's the most powerful out of the four because it depends on how your heart and soul feel as one when you use your magic. It is also the most difficult to handle. My Warren is proof of that." I laughed out the last sentence and noticed that there was a look of awe and wonder on Jack's face. "Ya alright there, Jacky?"

"Y-Yeah...it's just a lot to take in...and it's all kind of incredible. So...I can do more than just freeze stuff?"

"Apparently, and I thought ya knew that. I've seen ya make snow, snow storms, frost, snowballs, enchanted snowflakes, and ya put on quite the light show when ya..." My eyes widened considerably when I realized the sound and the light that went with the massive blow he dealt to Pitch when Sandy was killed. It was like lightnin'.

"What is it?"

"Nothin' ya need to worry about right now...anyway, ya get my point. Your magic is not just winter...and we still need to break it down."

"What!? I thought we figured it out!"

"Oh really? Try stickin' your hand under the waterfall. Go on." Jack let out a frustrated huff and did as I asked, resultin' in the waterfall instantly freezin'. I chuckled low at his irritated pout when he pulled his hand away, and I walked over to hold my paw against the ice. Almost instantly the water started movin' once more. "Now will ya listen ya impatient little bugger?"

"Yeah, yeah...I'll listen."

"Good. Now...we know ya can do more than winter magic, and that it's emotional based magic. Now, ya have to focus on an emotion to do somethin'."

"Okay...well...this may be a bit difficult then."

"Learnin' how to control your magic usually is."

"Well, when I'm sad, it snows automatically...and when I'm happy...the snow flurries follow me and go where I go...but the snow also falls around me..."

"We're gonna focus on you freezin' stuff. Start simple. Then, if ya want, we can go to Antarctica so you can practice with snow."

"Alright..."

"Now...the way we're gonna do this will feel a bit backwards to ya, but even I had to figure this one out."

"You had to figure out how to stop freezing things?"

"Well...water at least...bath times weren't exactly easy for me or my mother. Now, remember, Jack...I can melt your ice. You have nothin' to fear about gettin' out of control, and ya won't hurt me none." He hesitantly nodded his head at me as he looked at the water. "Okay, you remember how I said I had trouble with baths and learnin' not freeze the water?" Another nod, and I returned it as I walked into the clear river, allowin' the water to flow onto and past my fur. "I used to not be able to do this. It would freeze up almost instantly around my ankles. It was one of the many reasons I decided to learn spring magic. You're gonna learn to do the same, and the fact that ya can harness spring magic will make it easier. However, here's where it's gonna start a bit backwards...you're gonna step into the water. You're gonna have to allow your feet and ankles to get frozen in the water, so you're gonna have to move kinda fast. Come on, get in."

Jack nodded his head, and looked at me for a brief moment before Jumpin' into the water in front of me, and in the air he twisted his body so that he would end up facin' me. Thankfully, he was able to get his feet in the water at all, but when he finally steadied himself and stood to look at me, the ice caused him to lose balance, and he fell on his butt onto the ice that spread from his ankles. I was just glad I was able to melt the ice that was comin' for me. "Ah...I might need a bit of help up, Aster."

"Nah, really? I would've never guessed." We both had a good chuckle about it while I helped him back to his feet. "Now, I want you to tell me what we've broken down about your magic so far."

"Okay...it's winter magic. I can use both winter and spring magic. It's based off my emotions...and there's also the fact that I can freeze things instantly by touching them."

"All good things to mark. Now...another thing to break down would be...where do you feel it in your body when you use your magic?"

"Where do I feel it in my body?"

"Yes, for example, Sandy would feel his magic in his head, because it's imagination magic based."

"Okay um...well if it's emotions I would feel it in my heart, but...that's not nescessarily right is it?" By the look on his face, I could tell he wasn't questionin' me, he was questionin' himself. "I...I feel it right here..." He told me as he looked up at me and held his hand at his core just under the middle of his chest, and over his lungs and rib cage.

"Good, that's where I feel it too." I told him honestly. "That is...accordin' to some...where your soul rests. Your magic is as much a part of you as your heart and soul. Now, the next thing...when you use your staff to make it shoot out wintery stuff do you feel that feelin' move to your arm?"

Jack scratched the back of his head, and his eyes shot wide open as he looked at his arm that usually held the staff. "Y-Yeah...I do. It's like...It's almost like a branch that grows from my center and to my staff."

"That's a very good analogy for it, because essentially your magic is an extension of yourself. Okay, now tell me what we've got now."

"Do I have to?"

"It's good to break it down as much as possible so ya don't forget. So...yeah."

"Alright...winter magic, I can use winter and spring magic, it's emotional based, I feel it mainly at my core, and when I used my staff that feeling extended to my arm."

"Good, so can ya guess what I'm gonna ask ya to do?"

"Um...are you going to ask me to extend that feeling to my feet?"

"Got it in one!" I told him with a slight chuckle. "However, since ya can use spring magic, we're not gonna do it like I originally planned. We're gonna do it a little bit simpler, but it will also be a bit difficult."

"How will it be difficult?"

"Because...you've gone three hundred years feelin' like ice, and havin' the feelin' of winter magic as the soul embodiment of your core. Not only that...but you're the embodiment of winter. It will likely be a bit different for ya."

"Okay...so...what am I supposed to do?"

"Do you remember the feelin' ya got in your core when ya brought the frost bunny to life the first time?"

"I told ya what I felt." He rolled his eyes and I crossed my arms.

"That ya did, Jacky, but that's what ya felt all over...tell me what ya felt in your core. What did it feel like when your magic was movin' from your core to your hands?"

His eyes went wide for a moment as he looked down to seemin'ly look at his core, and he closed his eyes. After about two minutes, he seemed to find it, and without any warnin' the ice beneath him immediately melted and nearly knocked me off my own feet with the sudden rush of water, because I hadn't noticed that he had accidentally melted the waterfall too. "I...I did it! I melted the water!" He looked down at his feet and jumped into the water several times, splashin' his feet here and there. "It's not freezing back up!"

I got out of the water and shook it off my legs as I stared at Jack playin' in the water. A large swell of pride rushed through me as well as astonishment. "Well, well...it seems that your magic lessons may not be as difficult as I thought they might be. Ya caught on faster than I did, that's for sure."

"Really?" He asked with a joyful look in his eyes as he stood in the water.

"Yeah. It took me a few days not a few minutes." I laughed and looked over to the kiln. "I think the first part of the pottery is done for now. Ya want to head back?"

"You said I needed to take a shower..."

"Ya...you're right...I did. Alright, I'll put some touches on your plate while ya take your shower, which will undoubtedly take another hour with how much you're enjoyin' playin' in the water. You'll just need to put that feelin' all over your body, alright?"

"Yeah! Thanks, Aster!"

I nodded my head and made my way back to the pottery room. Once I was in there, the pottery we had made was indeed done on this round of firin', so I took them out, put some finishin' touches for the next round, put them back, and made my way back to Jack. It took me nearly thirty minutes to do everythin' so I was expectin' Jack to still be in underneath the waterfall cleanin' off. However, that's not what I returned to. No, instead I returned to another spirit that had invaded in my Warren, holdin' Jack against the moss wall next to the waterfall, it seemed he was just about to take his pants off too. "Bunny, I believe you have an intruder!" The woman spirit growled.

"Yeah, and I'm lookin' at her." I growled, suddenly feelin' far more protective over Jack than I ever thought I would be. Hell, it's more protective than I've been over anythin'.

"Me!? I'm a spirit of spring as well! I'm only here to help! So, let me help by getting rid of this eye sore. Surely even you didn't want him to become a Guardian. I'll just go take care of this troublesome thing for you." Within the blink of an eye she sunk her and Jack into the ground, and moon knows where they went.

"Strewth!" I shouted as I rushed to turn the kiln completely off, and then I instantly made a tunnel to North's.


	8. Chapter 8

"North!" I called out once I was in the North Pole. "North, ya bloody overgrown...Where are ya!?"

"I'm here, Bunny. What's wrong?"

"Activate the Northern Lights!" I told him, slightly out of breath

"Why would I do that? Bunny, what is wrong with you?"

"Some spring spirit just came into my Warren and kidnapped Jack. What she said to me...I think she means to try and kill him!"

"What?"

"What are ya doin'? Activate the lights!"

"Right!" He said as he rushed to the lever, and it felt like years were passin' by before Sandy and Tooth showed up.

"We're here, North, what's wrong?"

"Someone came into my Warren and kidnapped Jack! I think she means to kill him, and I don't know if she has accomplices. I need your help to find him!"

"What? Why would someone kidnap Jack?" Tooth squeaked out in a worried voice.

"He wasn't very well liked by the other spirits, and many of them may be jealous or angry that he is Guardian." North quickly stated.

"I'd have to agree with him. Now...the spirit that took him was a spring spirit, and I guess that's how she got into my Warren...she can phase in and out of nature."

"What did she look like?" Tooth asked with a furious glare.

"She uh...she had short brown hair touchin' her shoulders, but just barely...she wore a green and blue dress with..."

"With a blue flower at her hip?"

"Yeah! Ya know her?"

"I know where she likes to take those she doesn't like. She's gonna take him to a lake and..."

"A lake!? No, we gotta get to him!"

"You didn't even let me finish..." She started with a concerned expression.

"You didn't have to! I can put two and two together! He's not gonna survive if he drowns again!" I ran my paws through my ears, suddenly feelin' all types of hopeless, fear, and anxiety. It almost feels as if I'm afraid to lose someone precious to me, but I shook that thought away quickly as I heard a gasp from Tooth. "What?"

"What do you mean...again?"

"He..." A lump in my throat formed quicker than I could swallow it down, but I managed to anyway. "Before he was made a spirit Jack was a normal human, yeah? I mean ya got his teeth..."

"Yeah, but..."

"He died savin' his sister from fallin' through ice! He drowned in ice cold water. Manny brought him back, and told him his name was Jack Frost, but that's all he told him for three hundred years! He drowned...he died...he won't survive it again! I doubt he'll survive bein' near a large body of water that isn't frozen and he doesn't have his staff so..."

"So he can't fly away! Let's go! I know where the lake is! It's actually near my palace! North, give me a snow globe."

"Here!" North said, practically shovin' the globe into her hands. She whispered to it, and threw it. We all went through, and were met with a large lake hidden in a forest, and at the middle of it was the spirit from before hoverin' above the lake.

"Vivienne!" Tooth shouted.

"Oh, my dear Tooth!" She cooed sarcastically. "Oh, and you brought friends...and the Bunny!" She squealed in delight. "I was just about to deal with this troublemaker for you."

"We don't want him dealt with! We want him back!"

"You Guardians!" Another voice called out as it came out from behind a large tree.

"Siera Summer..." I growled out. "You're the one that keeps torchin' my plants that I put on the surface! You also take joy in burnin' forests down!"

"Oh, but I'm also gettin' a kick out of this. You see Jack there? He's been a real thorn in my side for a long time. Since Easter of '68 to be exact! So, I've gotten Vivienne to help me out a bit. She just plain doesn't like him, so I have that advantage."

"Wait..." I said as my ears drooped at the date she gave. "...What did he do to ya Easter of '68?"

"Oh, well...I had a wonderful wildfire going. It was going to be intense and heated and the winds that day were particularly strong...he didn't take kindly to me...a Summer spirit...interfering with spring. We got into quite the debate about it considering he's a winter spirit and shouldn't have interfered either. Then, he had the nerve to try and remind me that it was Easter, and that children would be looking forward to hunting the eggs you hide. I told him I was well aware, but that I wanted to have some fun with the flames anyway, but before the fire got noticed or big enough he got angrier than I had ever seen any spirit. Even Mother Nature never got that pissed, and he started having his own fun as he created a blizzard that not only doused my wonderful wildfire, but gave me frostbite for two weeks. Mother Nature says I deserved it and should've heeded his words, but I don't care! A monster like that doesn't deserve to be a Guardian!"

'He...He tried to save my holiday..not ruin it...' I thought to myself, then I saw the wicked smirk on her face. "What are ya gonna do to him?" I growled out.

"Hmm...what to do indeed...you know, since he can freeze water just by touching it, I thought perhaps he could die that way. Frozen...underwater...and since he doesn't have that precious staff...no flying away, and the water should freeze solid if the pond in Burgess is anything to go by. Tell me...do any of you know how to swim?"

"No..." North, Tooth, and Sandy answered.

"I do." I glared at her.

"Well...even if you do, Bunny...will you get to him in time by swimming?" She gave me an evil smirk and lifted her hand in the air, when it dropped, the nature spirit flew higher and started to drop Jack. In that instant, I knew I was gonna have to do somethin' that would likely lead to a lot of annoyin' questions from the other Guardians, but Jack was gonna be hurt and my heart panicked along with my soul just not able to let that happen.

Without sayin' a word I rushed towards the water hearin' them call after me, but I just ran, and from behind me I could hear them gasp in shock as Ice started appearin' under me as I ran on the water towards Jack. I could tell from my surroundin's that both the nature spirit and the summer spirit were too stunned to move as I jumped to grab Jack before he hit the water, and I clutched him to my chest as I allowed the lake to freeze a little underneath my back. I stood up and held him tightly, wincin' at the irritation the nature spirit caused to the stitches, but I was at least relieved that he was unconscious. "You...but how!? You're a spring spirit!" The summer spirit shouted in disbelief.

"THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE WRONG! I ain't no spirit ya Galah! I'm a Pooka! I was born with magic, and the magic I was born with was winter magic ya damn irritation! I am _KNOWN_ as the spirit of spring...I'm not actually a spirit! I can just do a little of both!" I walked Jack towards the shore, with the lake freezin' again underneath every step I took as I clutched Jack tightly against my poundin' heart. As I got closer to the others I could see that they were lookin' at me with pale faces, wide eyes, and dropped jaws. "North...can I ask ya to take Jacky for a mo?" I questioned once I stepped foot on land again.

"B-Bunny..." North whispered out hoarsely as he took Jack from me.

"I'll explain later...just look after him while I deal with them." I didn't wait to see or hear his reaction as I immediately started using nature and snow magic together. I started hurlin' large ice shards at them as well as callin' forth violent vines with sharp thorns from the earth. I tore at them and whipped at them, but not enough to kill them. Then, after about ten minutes of pure rage, heartache, pain, anxiety, and the unshakable relief that he was still alright, I decided that they had enough and I got rid of the ice shards but I had the thorny vines wrap around them tightly, bringin' them towards me. I looked back at Jack who was still unconscious in North's arms, and I felt the most protective and fierce growl, and the growl I let out seemed to startle even the other Guardians. I turned to face them, and spoke without thinkin' as I growled out, "If ya ever come near my kit again, I'll kill ya and deliver your bodies to Mother Nature! Do I make myself clear!?"

"He's..."

"If I hear anythin' but a yes I'm gonna speed up your appointment with Mother Nature!" I growled out as I forced the vines to become tighter.

"Y-Yes..." They both rasped out, and I let them go, and they were gone in the blink of an eye.

I let out a shaky and overly relieved sigh when they were finally gone. _'I...I called him my kit...Why...Why would I do that?'_ I questioned myself as it strangely didn't feel wrong to say such a thing about Jack. I shook my head, and tried to focus on gettin' back to Jack. When I returned to the others they still held the same shocked looks on their faces. "Look...can we talk about this after I tend to his stitches?" I asked in a nervous manner as I looked at one of the ripped stitches across his stomach. They nodded their heads and North slowly handed Jack to me. I gave him a small appreciative smile as I opened up a tunnel beneath us that led us directly to Jack's room. I set him down and started gettin' to work like I had before. Only this time, Jack's body wasn't able to help him freeze the blood. So, I had to work fast as I cleaned it and gave it a little magic. I had to remove the irritated stitches and put new ones in. Once that was done, and his breathin' seemed to level some, I sat in the chair next to the bed. "Alright...ask away, but do so quietly please."

"Bunny..." Tooth started carefully and with a whisper. "...why didn't you tell us that you..."

"That I could use winter magic too?" I questioned and she nodded her head as her wings stopped flutterin' and she stood in front of me. I let out a sigh and placed a paw underneath the side of my chin while my elbow propped on the arm of the chair. "I was born what ya might call a snow or winter Pooka...we didn't have the word snow so we always called it Frost...anyway, to a Pooka...ya can be born with a main element but choose to be another. I didn't like my element so I chose spring. It suited me, and everyone on my home planet said I was the best out of season Pooka there was. Then I come here...reshape the Earth as I've told you before...and I was content with the size this place was...but the nature here was different from my home planet so I had to try and reconnect with it once more. When I did, this place grew huge and many many different types of plants grew...with that...and when I helped all of you face Pitch so long ago...Manny saw fit to say I was a spirit of spring and the Guardian of Hope. Not one to complain about bein' associated with spring, I accepted."

"But you never told us...why?" North questioned with a furrowed brow.

"Because I didn't like my element. I'm good at it, born a complete natural at it like Jack, but...when ya freeze everythin' ya touch...and..." I let out another sigh as I told them somethin' I didn't tell Jack. "...when you're the most powerful winter Pooka ever hatched, ya tend to not enjoy the stares from others."

"You were..." Tooth started with wide eyes.

"Those ice shards ya saw? That little trick would take a normal Pooka a couple of decades to figure out how to do...and on a much smaller scale. It took me a few months...if that puts anythin' in perspective for ya."

"Why didn't you help Jack with powers?"

"Because...I honestly didn't think he needed it, or would want it. Besides...like I said...I didn't like bein' the most powerful winter Pooka, and at the time the last thing I wanted was for anyone to know about it...but I told Jack...and to this moment, I can't tell ya why I felt like I could tell him...but I did. Anythin' else?"

"Pooka...are hatched?" North asked with a curious expression and tone.

"Yup. We're hatched. Our eggs have a small symbol near the bottom that determines what our name should be...here...let me show ya. He seems to be gettin' cold anyway." I left the room to go to mine, and I grabbed the blanket that Jack had made. Once I got back, I carefully laid it on Jack.

"Where did you get this?" Tooth asked as she seemed to marvel in the designs.

"Jack made it for me."

My eyes widened a bit when I saw a flurry of symbols hover over Sandy's head sayin', _"Did Jack say he saw this in a dream?"_ I nodded my head and more symbols appeared. _"Manny said he was having a nightmare and wanted to give him visions of a family, but then he told me the strangest thing happened."_

"What happened?"

_"Jack dreamed he was inside of an egg in an Easter Basket."_ Once the symbols disappeared my jaw dropped.

"Jack...he...he dreamed of bein' a Pooka?"

The symbols flew again but a bit slower this time. _"It seems so. His original family had died long before he got the chance to remember them again...so perhaps this means he thinks of you as his family."_

"But...he didn't know what a Pooka was or...or even that we hatched from eggs..."

_"The dreamworld exists throughout time and space...you know this, Bunny. It was probably giving him a more literal translation while also keeping some things hidden." _The symbols stopped for a moment but started back up again, and what came next made my jaw drop. _"At the end of the battle...after he took the oath, I'm not sure you realized it but you said, 'That's my boy', and when you faced those spirits moments ago, you called him YOUR kit...now correct me if I'm wrong...but a kit is the name for a child Pooka, yes?"_

"Y-Yeah that's the right of it...I remember that..."

_"You said that the name of the Pooka is determined by a symbol on the bottom?"_ I nodded my head, and a large smile grew on his face. _"Bunny...I can read your language, and it amazes me that you missed something rather important on that egg."_

"What are you talkin' about?"

_"Well, I assume you know and told Jack that the snowflake was a Frost flake, right?"_ I nodded my head. _"Did you read the curves and swivels on the egg just above the Frost flake? It's etched with the same color as the egg so it may have been easy to miss. Also...if I'm correct, the Pooka's parents' name is at the top...yes?" _I nodded. _"Read it, Bunny."_

I leaned over to read the side of the egg just above the Frost flake, and in my language it said, "Jackson Overland." I hadn't realized I had whispered it out in shock until I heard North and Tooth gasp. "A-And the top of the egg..." I stuttered out as I read it, and suddenly my hands became shaky as did my breath, and I could feel a tear fall from my face as I staggered back into the chair.

"Bunny!" Tooth whispered out in concern.

"What did the top of egg say? Parent's name yeah? Who is it? Who does Jack consider to be parent?" North urgently whispered, and I could tell it was more out of concern for me than actually wantin' to know, but I was still a bit stunned by it.

"It..." I swallowed a lump in my throat as more tears started to slowly pour from my eyes. "It doesn't make sense I mean..."

"Bunny, what does it say?" Tooth asked as she placed a carin' hand on my arm.

"It says...In my language...it reads...E. Aster Bunnymund."

"You...are Jack's adoptive parent?" North asked with curious wonder as he looked back at Jack.

"I..." My voice cracked a bit and I couldn't find it in me to speak. This was all so overwhelmin'. Then, I began to remember how I felt since he fell into the Warren. I was scared, worried, anxiety ridden, and when he would mention how he was treated or how he had to live for three hundred years...my heart damn near shattered every time. Then, when he told me he had died...there was nothin' I could think of that could compare to that pain, and I've lived more lifetimes than anyone on Earth could likely count. Then with me teachin' him things and bein' so unbelievably proud when he succeeded...then the fight not too long ago with the other two spirits. I had somehow unconsciously started thinkin' of him as a son. "Wait...does this mean that I...that Jack is my..."

_"Considering how the two of you see each other...him seeing you as a father to him...whether he'll admit that or not is a mystery...but then you also see him as a son...with those two things in mind..."_ Sandy started with a soft smile as symbols flew overhead. _"...I'd say congratulations are in order. You, E. Aster Bunnymund, have a son"_

"I...I have a son...and...those spirits nearly killed him!" I spat out and shot up, but forgot how much the information crippled me and I fell back in the chair again.

"Bunny, you dealt with them beautifully." Tooth told me with another gentle hand. "I doubt that they're going to mess with Jack for a very long time."

"That's not long enough! They..." Before I could continue there was a soft glow of green light comin' from Jack's body, and all of the sewn up gashes started healin', followed by the stitches fallin' out.

"What's...what's happening? Jack can't possibly be able to do that he..." Tooth trailed off in astonishment as I stood up and helped Jack's spring magic along.

"Jack's more than a winter spirit. Did he tell ya how he got Jamie to believe in me again?"

"No." North stated simply as he watched me use my magic on Jack, while I was also removin' some of the stitches that had fallen.

"He did somethin' special. He combined spring magic and winter magic and created a frost bunny. He brought a drawin' to life and had it hop around Jamie."

"Seems apple does not far fall from tree, yes?" North said with a smug look on his face, and my eyes widened along with my smile.

"I suppose so...but he already had hidden magic in him before he was made a spirit...so I'm pretty sure that has somethin' to do with it." As I finally removed the last of the fallen stitches, Jack's glow dimmed until it was completely gone. Then, his eyes opened, and the sight of it caused all of us to step back a bit in shock.

"A-Aster...What...what happened? The last thing I remember was I was about to take a shower under the waterfall..." He looked up at us with wide eyes as he sat up. "What's wrong?"

"Your eyes, mate." I told him honestly and reached into one of the dressers to pull out a small mirror.

Once he took the mirror from me, he looked in it and jumped back a couple feet. "Why do I...? Wait...I have two different colored eyes...and the green one is the same green as yours? I still have one ice blue eye but...why?"

"Um...well...apparently I wasn't supposed to mix your spring magic with mine." I stated as I looked at my paws as I realized that perhaps I accidentally sent a small piece of my life into him along with some of my magic. "There was something I had once heard of on my planet...When I was healin' ya, I was truly tryin' to heal ya...I hadn't meant...but...I had heard that some spring magic users on my planet were able to claim friends as relatives that way, but I never tried it...I guess I accidentally did it."

"Wait...does this mean...I'm like your son or something?" Jack asked as he set the mirror down, and I could feel it. _'He had Wonder returned to him, good memories, I assume good dreams, and now...there is an overwhelmin' Hope floodin' me, and it all belongs to Jack.'_

"Only if ya want to. It was an accident after all..."

"You...you wouldn't...I mean...I had been kind of thinking about it since I heard what ya said after I took the oath...I don't know why...it just kind of stuck with me...and I...I dunno...then I had that dream and the things you said while I stayed here..."

"Jack...what do you want?" I asked, feelin' ridiculously nervous and unsure of myself. I didn't want to sound conceded, off puttin', irritated, or even impatient, and I especially didn't want to seem so damn vulnerable.

"I...It...it sounds selfish and foolish..."

"Jack I..." I quickly tried to interrupt him, but then there was another damn lump in my throat because of everythin' that's happened. "I...would like it if...I mean...it's if ya want...but...I...well..." I groaned at my tongue tied self.

"I...well...with all the things you had said in the Warren, and what you said after the battle...I dunno why, but it kind of reminded me a lot of my father from when I was alive...actually...almost exactly similar to how he treated me. So, it just kind of felt...I dunno...like you were like a father to me, and I didn't want to seem childish or...you probably don't..."

"And you're like a son to me, Jacky." I told him with a sigh of relief. "Although...I only just recently found that out, and I hadn't realized that that was how I was beginnin' to treat ya, but it's true. I...if ya want, Jacky...since ya don't have a real home...ya can call the Warren home...if ya want." I told him as I stepped a bit closer to the bed.

He looked at me and blinked once, then twice, then before I could even react, he jumped into my arms. "Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

I felt tears start to fall from my eyes as all of the overwhelmin' feelin's came crashin' down on me again. "Thank ya, Jacky..." I said as I hugged him tighter.

"For what?" He asked as he got a little ways out of my grasp.

"For the chance to have a family...at least that's what I'm assumin' this is...me seein' ya like a son...you seein' me like a father..."

"Yeah..." Jack chuckled and gave me another hug. "...That's what this is. Although...I have no idea what I'm supposed to call you now."

I squeezed a bit tighter before lettin' him go and I shook my head. "Well...what comes to mind when ya see me now?" I asked curiously, honestly feelin' a bit awkward about all this, but I wanted to know at the same time.

"I...It's...it's awkward to say..."

"Is it how ya honestly feel?"

"Yeah..."

"Then, no worried here, mate. Let's have it."

"...well...you remind me a lot of him...mine anyway...when I was alive...and well...I almost slipped up at one point if I'm to be honest...but...Father...that's what comes to mind."

My heart skipped a frantic beat and I couldn't help the happy tears that slipped out. "I-If ya want to call me that...if it ain't too awkward for ya...I think...I think I would really like that."

"I...I think I would like that too...Father...I mean...technically speaking...you did just make me your relative using magic right?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"Then it fits pretty well...I think. I also...I think if you help me...I don't think I'll need my staff for anything but flying..." He gave me another hug, and I swear I had never felt so content, hopeful, and joyful in my entire life. I looked at the other Guardians and they smiled at us with small tears of their own slidin' down their faces. _'I have a son...'_ I thought to myself as I hugged him a bit tighter.

"North, do ya think you can mend the staff enough to get Jack to be able to fly again?"

"Of course! With the three of us combined, we can make Jack's staff as good as new! Your son will be flying in no time!"

"Good" I told him with a laugh while my thoughts repeated their earlier words with more joy than ever. _'I have a son!'_

"This is cause for celebration!" North bellowed.

"I'd have to agree." Tooth agreed with a squeal.

_"What do you think we should do?"_ Sandy asked with symbols overhead.

I let go of Jack and nudged him to see if he had an idea. "Well..." He gave me a sidelong glance. "...it is my newly appointed Father's birthday..."

"What!?" The rest of the Guardians shouted collectively and all I could do was chuckle.

"We shall make grand party in Warren!" North shouted and for once, I didn't mind his ideas.

"Sounds like a plan, Mate. There's just one more thing...Jack did it again after we left your place. He made me laugh again."

North blinked and then made a strange face that was a combination of a pout and anger. "HOW WAS THIS DONE?"

"Not tellin'." Jack said as he tried to mimic my accent and I couldn't stop the grin on my face. _'Things around here are definitely gonna be more interestin' from now on.'_

**_THE END_**


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